Avatar: Legacy of the Elements
by Arcaner
Summary: Aang is charged with protecting the world. What happens when the Avatar fails and the Earth Kingdom falls? What if there was more to the Avatar then just saving the world, what if the Avatar was the only thing holding back the full fury of the Elements?
1. Prologue

**Prologue: The Awakenings**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

N/A: Welcome to my fic! I hope you all enjoy this. This is something that kind if hit me a while back, will it take? I don't know, a lot of stories that are really good don't make it…we'll have to see. I'll judge whether or not to continue this based on reviews and such. This is a kind of what-if scenario, with a larger plot to it, that I thought of, following the events of Aang's temporary death, and the consequences of the Avatar's death, if only momentary. (No, Aang does not die.)

Enjoy, and Please Review!

NOTE: A review made me realize that I had not given enough thought to the names of my three OC's. I have changed their names to reflect a more asian background. Kane is now Sheng, which means Truimph, Tia is now Hye, which means Graceful. Toran's name stays the same, as I thought of it from the word 'Torrent', which is a good meaning for his person. I have the names changed in the story, so this is more for those that have already read this. Give me a thought on the new names.

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se**_

_I'm sorry Katara._

Those were his thoughts, his last real thoughts, before everything became fuzzy. He had incase himself in crystal and given up his love for the girl that made his heart sing. He gave up his love to protect her. He gave up his love for power.

The crystals glowed and out of the rock formation Aang rose in the Avatar State, in all the glory of a future master of all the Elements. His mind flooded with knowledge: of fire, water, earth, and wind. He became a master in an instant, and even further beyond he became a master of one and all. He was the avatar and such was his destiny, his power, and his curse.

He rose into the air, his eyes and tattoos glowing with power. He focused his glare on Azula and Zuko, princess and prince of the Fire Nation, his enemy, and the enemy of the entire world. Fire Lord Ozai was going to take over the entire world if Aang could not stop him. Stopping his two children would be a fine start.

The Avatar poised to strike when lighting struck, literally. So focused on completing the transformation into the Avatar State he could do nothing to defend himself. The blue streaks crashed into his body and ran through him like a virus, infecting every part of his body.

The glow faded and he fell to the ground. As Aang's eyes closed and as he began to feel himself drifting he felt something; a breaking. Something was occurring…something that had once been intact was now shattered…something was unleashed.

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_**Location: Eastern Air Temple**_

Guru Pathik sat in deep meditation. He worried that something would happen to Aang, he feared that without the Avatar state he would not have the strength needed to save the Earth Kingdom. He sat in the center of Eastern Air Temple before a large statue of a robust man, strong and young. He was the first Avatar, an Airbender.

Deep in his mediation he could feel it, the rumble. His eyes flashed open and his sight was met with the First Avatars statue shaking. The hands, arms, legs, head, and chest cracked and pieces of the rock fell to the ground. Something had disturbed its peace, its slumber.

"A bad omen.."

Guru Pathik's eyes grew wider as something more fantastic began to occur. Between the horse stance statue's feet a golden symbol appeared, an image of five rock crystals arranged in peacock fashion, with a sixth striking downward. Between the hands of the statue, which were close together as if holding a pot, a blue image of three circular ripples showed itself. The next symbol appeared at the Statues chest, a red and fiery mask of flames flared into existence, as if to taunt the Guru for something he could not forsee. Lastly, at the head of the statue, three gray gusts of wind spiraling into each other. The symbols grew so bright that the entire chamber was lit up as if a festival was occuring at this very moment.

The Guru's face showed something short of panic. His stood slowly an approached the statue; the lights faded and Pathik fell to his knees. Silence filled the room save one noise…the sound of Avatar's statue crumbling into a pile of rock and dust. A singular thought ran through the Guru's head, a story, a myth, that he had thought, had hoped, to be false.

"The pact is broken…does that mean….Aang, what is going on?"

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_**Location: Fire Nation**_

"Stand boy!"

He tried, he really did, but he had no strength left in him. He was beaten, broken, and could no longer carry on this duel, the Agni Kai (Fire Dual). Oh, if only he had the strength to stand! If only he could fight longer…he could feel his honor slipping from his grasp by the seconds.

The man, his challenger, took a deep breath, he may have won but his victory was hard earned. He was far older then his opponent and he lacked the same endurance that he once had, but experience and sheer power overcame the stamina of this fool, this Sheng.

Sheng was a young fire nation child, serving in one of the many Fire Nation academies and he had broken the number one law; he tried to leave the academy. His family, as he had described, was poor and their father had fallen sick. His mother was too old to work and his older sister had little to offer, and that it was his duty to return to support them however he could. But the warden, the older man, had stated that his duty was to his nation and not to his family, to his Fire Lord and only to him.

Thus, the Agni Kai was issued. The boy had no choice but to accept, the prize was too great; a victory would mean financial aid to his family and a doctor sent to his father immediately. Failure to win would mean his continued stay at the academy…while his family suffered.

Sheng, fourteen years of age, ground his fingers into the ground. Tears swelled into his eyes, he could see them! His father declining health, his mothers worry, his sisters struggle to keep the family afloat. He could see it all so clearly! If only he had more power, if only he was a genius firebender, if only!

_I can't save them…_

"One last chance, stand up and fight, or accept defeat." The academy's warden stated.

_I'm sorry…I can't. Father, forgive me. Mother, I tried. Sister...I'm sorry I cannot help you.  
_

Sheng closed his eyes and tried once more, one last time to will his body to move and then…

He felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He couldn't describe it, a feeling of intense heat. His whole body felt as if it were aflame this very instant, as if he were standing in the heart of a great furnace. He could feel his body lighten, but they were not healing, rather it felt as if his body was suddenly stronger then before, vastly stronger then before.

_**You call yourself a child of fire? Stand! Regain your honor, regain your pride! Stand, stand and fight!**_

Sheng obeyed instinctively, without thought,. The voice was in his head, it's voice boomed, commanding. Had he gone mad? No, this was something else, something greater. He could feel the source of the heat pulsating from his chest, where his lungs resided. He turned towards the warden and took his stance. The throbbing in his chest clouded his thoughts, the same way a headache made it hard to think.

"Oh, ready to fight are you?" He too took his stance.

_**My name is Fire, and you are lucky to have my blessing. Accept me, wholly, and I shall grant you power to save your family, to punish all those that endanger those that you love. I ask only one thing.**_

_One thing?_ Sheng began to wonder if he really had gone mad, he was talking to a voice in his head. It was deep and strong, like a man into is years…but somehow it held a sagely tone, as if he knew so much more then what one could perceive.

_**Loyalty, to the Fire Nation. Not to the Lord of Fire, but to the people. Loyalty, to the Nation of Fire. Choose; honor and power or disgrace and despair**_

"Well, well. He stands to fight again. " The warden taunted.

"I…" Sheng muttered.

"Hmm? You, what?"

"I choose loyalty." Sheng leap forward, his right fist lashing out.

The flame that burst forth from his closed fist lit up the entire ring, engulfing the narrow dueling arena in a raging wildfire. Both warriors were lost from sight, to all who had been spectators. A roar rang out from the depths of the inferno and, as if by command, the flames died instantly, dying out of existence.

The Warden lay on the ground, smoldering. Sheng stood the winner, his prize? A dazzling new fire in his golden eyes.

----------

_**Location: North Pole**_

"Steady," He whispered softly, "steady." He raised his hand, a closed fist.

They were a small group of Northern Waterbenders hiding behind a small glacier as a passing Fire Navy ship was nearing their range of attack. The ship would be caught in a ring of ice and then would be boarded. The young group of men, newly allowed into the realm of combat, eagerly awaited their chance to defend their homeland.

Toran, the eldest of the group, sixteen years of age, was the leader of this group of headstrong men. It was custom for new leaders to be given a small group to command, to grow as a commander and as a fighter. But Toran knew he was no fighter, he could lead men, he could inspire the older ones with his righteous calm and silent hate for the Fire Nation, but he was far from the best fighter in this group. And he knew it. Besides, these men were young and full of energy, and Toran had always been a quiet child. It had been a heavy strain to get them to listen at times.

The Fire Nation ship passed into attack range and he waved his men forward. The group created paths of ice on the water which they used to slide towards the ship. Toran took the lead, directing his group to surround the ship before the fire benders could assemble.

"Now!" Toran roared. All of his fellow tribesmen raised pillars of ice from the ocean roof, stopping he Navy ship in its tracks. With it stationary the Northern Tribesmen raised themselves unto the ship by riding waves which deposited them unto the ship while washing away any unsuspecting Fire bender into the sea.

The water benders splashed unto the deck of the ship and found it completely empty, or abandoned so to speak. The group, minus Toran, descended into the belly of the ship to uncover any ambushes that might be waiting.

Suddenly the floor began to rumble and at several places, on the deck, the floorboards were moved aside and Fire Nation soldiers began to pour out of the holes, two or three to a hole. Toran sighed loudly, agitated by how easily they had been fooled.

_So it was an ambush…and now they've got my guys down there while they can wait up here._

Toran grimaced at how causally he summarized the difficult position of his men, and himself. He took up a fighting stance in a rather large puddle of water that was left from their wet boarding of the ship. He spread out his feet to take a front stance with his hands stretched out slightly to his sides.

Waste of time. All at once the fire benders attacked, spraying fire at Toran, who was not a capable water bender like others. He raised a wall of water around him in a general defense but two blasts of fire were powerful enough to break through, and both were lucky enough to strike Toran's arms, disabling them. As if luck was unfavorable enough the floor beneath Toran opened and he dropped through a hole that sent him straight through the lower desks and out the bottom of the ship.

Sinking, Toran thought. Perfect. His arms were shot and he couldn't bend the water without them. Toran closed his eyes, attempting to block out the thoughts that his comrades were going to be capture and sold as prisoners. First mission; failure.

_**Giving up so easily? **_

_What?_

_**Those boys were entrusted to you because you were calm, more mature, yet you just gave up without so much as a fight?**_

_There was nothing I could do…I'm no fighter. _Toran stopped. Why was he talking to himself? Was it fear of death? That must be it, he was scared because of his inability to save his friends. He was going mad because he lacked the power to save them.

_**And what if you could obtain power? If you could be given such strength.**_

Was that his voice or someone else? It was offering strength, but one couldn't just give that to someone, you had to earn it, gain it, or be born with it. But, what if he could be given it?

_ Then I'd fight. I'd fight to the last man._

_**Is power that important?**_

_It protects…power is needed to fight power._

_**Then listen well, Toran, son of Water. I will give you such strength if you take an oath to protect the two Tribes of Water, the Tribes of the South and North. Swear the Oath and strength will be the least of your worries.**_

Toran remained silent for several minutes, he could feel that he was slowly running out of breath and his lungs were beginning to burn. He wasn't the best person in the world, he knew that, he was passive, quiet, and obedient. But there were precious people in his life. People that he loved, people that he wanted to see them through their lives.

People worth protecting.

_I accept, I swear to this oath._

**_Then welcome, Toran, to a new world. I am Water, and you are my chosen. Rise._**

Toran's body began to glow.

On the surface the Fire Nation soldiers were transporting their prisoners. They were abandoned their other ship, being too damaged by the icicles that had stropped the transport in the first place. As they began to board a massive wave rocked the ship intensely, one single sharp wave. When the ocean calmed all eyes turned to the transport where a giant icicle had split it in two. All watched as the great navy ship sunk into the cold sea.

One of the senior soldiers stepped forward, "My god…I haven't seen anything like that since." The soldier removed his helmet, "Since the siege of the north when the Avatar destroyed an entire fleet."

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_**Location: Northern Air Temple **_

Once they had been free of the Fire Nation. Once the refugees had fled to this temple and had freedom, peace, and order. A man had made flying machines on which the could ride the wind.

But no more, the Fire Nation had taken this temple after the Avatar left. The War Balloon that had been used to defend it was used against them and they no longer had air superiority. Today they were prisoners of the Fire Nation, forced to give the Fire Nation weapons in return for a small measure of freedom. It was the best they could do, they couldn't fight like the Avatar could, they had no powers. They had to obey.

Hye, twelve, sat on the balcony that had once been used as a flight deck when they flew into the skies on gliders. When they could play all day and not worry about work or an angry fire bender telling them to stop that and get inside. But she couldn't help herself,she didn't understand why things were happening this way, and she feared the firebenders, men who could spit fire from their hands. They terrified her.

"Hey, you girl! What are you doing?"

Hye stood up abruptly and stood at attention, regarding the Fire Nation soldier as she was told, with the utmost respect. They said she wouldn't get in trouble that way. The soldier stepped towards her, she stepped backwards, he stepped again, she stepped back again. Though told to be good she feared these men. They came with fire and steel and took over her home. She feared them more then anything else in the world.

"Hey, stop! Be careful!" He reached out and ran towards Hye, who's foot had slipped off the ledge of the old flight deck. The first sensation was a gradual pull and then the image of fast moving brick and rock, she was plummeting.

She was too shocked to scream, to scared to move, and too numb to do anything but fall. And fall she did, in silence, until she felt an unpleasant feeling erupt in her head, a kind of headache that throbbed, softly at first, but grew in intensity until it just stopped.

It stopped.

_**Fear, child. You fear so much. You are a child of Air, you should fear nothing, want nothing, and have everything.**_

"..Wh…who…"

_**I am Air and all that it embodies and you are my chosen. Accept me into your heart, cast away your fears, and I shall give you freedom. You need only do one thing for me.**_

"One thing?"

_**Save your friends, family, and loved ones. Give them their freedom back and then give this freedom to others. You are the last of your kind, it rests with you to bring back a dying race, and I will help you.**_

Hye didn't understand, how could she? But she knew one thing, she wanted freedom again. She wanted to fly in the sky again. She wanted everything this voice offered,and she was only twelve, and at her age one loved to believe in fairy tales. She accepted, with all her heart.

Hye never hit the ground.

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_**Location: Ba Sing Se**_

Her eyes were closed and she listened, not that it mattered if her eyes were closed, it was so dark that you couldn't see anyway. She paced, waiting, they were late and she was starting to get worried. She'd never say so out loud though, it was beneath her. She could feel that something had occurred, that something had gone wrong. She felt it in her gut. But she also felt it in her body, everywhere. Something big had happened. She stopped her steps, a voice? She could have swore she heard something.

_**It is time, daughter of Earth. You are chosen by me to restore the Earth Kingdom to its former glory. **_

She stopped, that was definitely a voice. _Who are you? And what do you want? _She stopped, this was stupid, talking to a voice in her head. Her nerves must have been really getting to her!

_**I AM Earth and I want you to do what you do best, fight. Too long has the nation of Fire encroached on our lands, too long have fires ravaged our cities and harmed our brothers and sisters. Too long indeed, and you will stop them.**_

_You asking me to save the world? That's the Avatar's job, not mine._

_**The Avatar has failed, the pact is broken. It is time for ones such as you to take the mantle of hero. Accept me, and you shall become greater then you are now.**_

_I'm already the best, I don't need your help. Besides, the Avatar hasn't failed, not yet.  
_

_**Humph! Foolish girl, you see but you don't know why. You see because of ME! I give you your power, out of pity for your own inabilities, and I can take it away.**_

Impossible, she thought, no one could take her earth bending away from her. Could they? But she thought about it, her gift, it was….unnatural. She had never heard of anyone else that could do what she could do. The voice could be lying, it had to…. it…

The young female earth bender swerved in place, nothing! She couldn't feel through the earth anymore! She was blind, completely and wholly. Dead to the ground below her.

_**I give you one last chance. Accept me and gain greater power, you need only serve the Earth Kingdom and save it from the Fire Nation.**_

Her fists tightened. What choice did she have? Without her bending she had nothing left, nothing to make her….her. It took only a moment to make a decision. She accepted.

_**Good. You shall regain your sight and so much more. Rejoice, Toph, you are now truly the greatest Earthbender in the world. Not even the Avatar could move the earth as you now can.**_

When the words were finished everything flashed back into her senses, she could feel the earth under her feet. But, it was stronger. So much stronger, she no longer needed to move her feet to send out a signal, she could constantly feel the earth around her, below her, above her, everywhere near her.

"Toph, lets go!" Sokka's voice rang out as he latched unto Toph's arm and dragged her somewhere. Minutes later they were on Aang's flying bison, sailing away from the Earth Kingdom.

Sokka and Katara were looking over Aang, who had just been healed from a fatal wound, though Toph wasn't paying much attention to them. There was something far more spectacular, far more majestic. Toph used to fear flying because she could not see, but no more; for even here, in the sky, she could see feel the earth as if she was standing on it.

She didn't know what the voice had been talking about, or what or who it was, but it had given her something she had always wanted . Security.

Toph would no longer feel lost. The earth would always be with her.

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Author's Notes (A/N): Okay. So, just to get rid of one fear, this fic will NOT, I repeat, will NOT focus on the OC's for the entire fic. There are only three and only three, and they will only be in support to my main plot. This story will mainly follow Aang and the group, though the OC's will have some large parts as well.

I hope everyone will give my story a look at, I know that OC's are not popular but they were needed for this storyline. So give it the benefit of the doubt and look at it, please? The OC's will be properly described when they are next introduced, incase someone was wondering. Everything else will be explained in the next chapter, should there be one.

Also, I will continue this story on the basis of my reviews. If it doesn't do well I will stop, no point in continuing a story if no one reads it. So review if you like it! (You should review to all stories you like anyways, Author's love reviews.)

So, read, enjoy, and review!

-Arc.

PS: Sorry for typos, I'm horrible at finding my own typos. Terribly sorry, I do my best.


	2. The Myth

**Chapter 1: The Myth**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

N/A: Alright, we get some explanation behind everything! This chapter will shape the story into something that everyone can follow. Enjoy!

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom**_

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I'm not sure, Azula attacked him when he was most vulnerable."

Sokka was poking the dinner he had caught earlier, a rabbit, and was checking to see if it was ready to be made into a soup. Katara sat with him as they waited on Aang to wake from his slumber. He had been sleeping for two days without any interruption and with no where to go the group settled into some mountains on the eastern edge of the Earth Kingdom, or what used to be the Earth Kingdom.

The Earth King had left the group a short while back, saying that he would attempt to find some Earth Kingdom loyalists to support him when the time came to take back the Earth Kingdom. In the mean while all Katara and Sokka could do was wait and hope for the best.

"Hey, Sokka, where's Toph?" The female water bender stood, hands on her hips.

Sokka shrugged, mouth watering over the rabbit soup to soon be eaten. Katara asked again, with more force, and Sokka finally snapped out of his daydreams. The water tribe boy shrugged, " I don't know, she said she was going to practice her earth bending."

Katara fumed, "How can she think about that at a time like this!? What if Aang never wakes up, what if.." Katara's head bowed, refusing to finish her sentence.

Seeing his sister seriously concerned pushed the elder brother to stand, "Hey, Aang's a tough kid. He'll be alright." Sokka patted his sisters shoulder.

"Thanks, Sokka."

"No, problem." Sokka looked at the food, "Now let's eat!"

Katara laughed, "Sure."

Not too far away from Katara and Sokka Toph was flexing her earth bending powers. She stepped forward with a palm thrust and felt the earth move at her command, the rock in front of her slid forward. She waved her right hand to the left slightly and felt the rock instantly change direction, she could even stop the rocks without touching them now, when their distance was far from her. Toph stood up straight, eyes closed, and felt the earth around her. Everything was so…real. She could feel the rock she had just pushed as if her hand was on it at this very minute. She had never felt this in control of her abilities before, it was if there was another person right next to her who as assisting in her bending.

Weird thing was, it wasn't someone, it was something.

_**You see it now, don't you? This is the true power of Earth, and you've only just begun to scratch the surface. **_

Toph didn't like the prospect of a voice in her head, but the voice was right, everything was easier now. If she had this power when the library was collapsing then maybe Appa wouldn't have been kidnapped. She would have been able to escape those fools who captured her, and might have been able to stop the events that lead up to the Earth Kingdom's fall.

_**Worry not, the Earth Kingdom is strong and when they rise up we will join them, unite them, and lead them to victory. For now, we must bide our time. **_

_I'm not doing anything until I find out that Aang is okay and until his Earth Bending training is over_

_**Humph, do not hope for him to wake again, Toph. I see that his fate, whether he wakes or not, is grim indeed. Very grim.**_

Toph told it to shut its mouth tight.

On Toph's return she found Sokka and Katara crowded around Aang, who appeared to have just woken from his long sleep. The earth bender ran over. The Avatar looked up at Toph and smiled.

"Well well, if it isn't twinkle toes, done beauty sleeping?" Toph mocked in her normal fashion.

"Ha,ha, hi Toph." Aang coughed out.

"Aang says we need to go to the Eastern Air temple and see that guru who was teaching him to control the Avatar State." Sokka told Toph as he helped Aang to his feet and unto Appa. Toph, Katara, and Sokka packed up, saddled up, and with Sokka at the reigns the group made their way to the Eastern Air Temple.

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se**_

_How did I end up in this?_

Sheng sighed inwardly, things had not gone as he hoped the would. He came out the winner of the Agni Kai and his family was given everything that they needed, a doctor and some money to get them on their feet. But Sheng was not to return to them, oh no, he was instead sent to Ba Sing Se as a full graduate, at fourteen years of age no less.

The trip had been horrible, the men, in their late-teens or early-twenties, completely distanced themselves from the young fire bender who, the assistant-warden said, could bend the flames like no other student before him. He had been put on a fast ship, one of the new models, and in a day he was in the Earth Kingdom, two more days later he was in Ba Sing Se.

Now he was at attention as Princess Azula herself, the daughter of Lord Ozai, and heir apparent to the fire nation, was inspecting them. She was his age, slightly taller, and was much more severe looking.

Sheng was a bit short for his age but work on the farm before his academy days had made him a bit stronger then the richer kids. His eyes were the same golden shade as most fire citizens. He was wearing the fire nation uniform, minus the helmet, and his hair was black and kept short. He wore a tight bandana around his head, as a mark of distinction and punishment for graduating from the academy so early. It was more or less there to separate him, the 'genius', from the other fire benders around him.

He heard a boot stomp the ground and Sheng snapped back to reality. Princess Azula had caught him with his pants down. The look in her eyes were hard, cold, and piercing. She stepped forward, putting her faces inches from his.

_**Stand, do not back down. She's testing you.**_

Sheng obeyed and stood his ground as if he were rooted to it. The princess muttered something before stepping back, "Tell me, why are you so much younger then the rest?" She looked at the group, before regarding Sheng again.

_**A test. This one is deceptive, do not give her control over you.**_

_Easy for you to say, Fire._

Sheng blinked and in that second he saw his current situation: he was far from home, with no friends, and none of the other soldiers were going to help him. He had to help himself.

"Because…." Sheng , straightened himself, "because I'm better than them."

Azula's right eyebrow twitched, "Is that so? Care to demonstrate? How about you against…" Azula looked around, found what she was looking for, and looked back at Sheng with a smile, "Four of the Dai Li."

Sheng groaned on the inside, another fight. Azula stepped back and Sheng stepped forward and took his stance as the four Dai Li landed surrounded him in a square. Sheng could feel his heart start to speed up, every movement of the Dai Li had to be watched, he had no knowledge of Earth benders…no telling what they were capable of.

"Begin." Azula commanded.

Two of the Dai Li stepped forward, fist thrusting up, and two pillars of earth rose from the ground. The two took another step and sent the rock towers towards Sheng. The young fire bender rolled to the side but was immediately cut off by the other two who shot out some sort of rock hand. The hands latched unto his feet and held him to the ground.

_**What are you doing, **_**Sheng**_** Strike, strike now!**_

Sheng raised both hands in the air, flames engulfing them, and then he slammed them into the ground causing an explosion that sent him into the air, forcefully breaking him from the Dai Li's grasp. The four earth benders came back together and were preparing to move again.

_No you don't!_

Sheng used another small explosion to send himself hurtling back towards his enemies. The Dai Li raised a wall of earth in their defense while Sheng pulled his knees to his chest and began to flip forward, covering his entire person in flame. Sheng , now a raging fireball, crashed through the wall of earth, caught himself on all fours, and charged forward and struck the nearest Dai Li in the chest with an open palm and then in the face with his other hand. The blows, with the added flames, blew the earth bender aside.

Sheng turned to meet the remaining three and each stomped the earth, causing a ball of rock to jump into the air before it was launched towards Sheng . The fire bender spun once, twice, and three times to gain momentum, fire appearing in a circle around him, before he leapt into the air with a spin kick. A small cyclone of fire rose up and melted down the rocks into pebbles.

Flipping out of the tornado, Sheng began to launch a series of fireballs at the earth benders. Slowly Sheng began to push the three back under his barrage of red flames. The three earth benders reached the wall and stumbled, surprised by the sudden contact. Sheng brought his hands to his right side, the back of his left hand pressed into the palm of his right, he leapt straight forward and thrust forward with his combined hands and with a roar he unleashed a massive stream of fire. The Dai Li threw themselves aside as the raging flame charred the rocky surface. A blast like that would have killed them.

"Enough." Azula commanded again.

_**Humph, you have no control. All that power but all you can do is lash out. **_

_Tsk, I won didn't I?_

"You surprise me. I haven't seen a lot of fire benders with that kind of ruthless etiquette." Azula complemented, or so Sheng assumed was a complement. He couldn't tell with his girl.

"I think you'll do just find here." Azula turned to the group, "Report to your squad leaders and await further orders. Dismissed."

Sheng ran back to his place in line and marched out with the rest of the troop, talking to the voice in his head.

_**She's not impressed at all, hehehe.**_

_Think so?_

_**All that time she was testing you, she never asked for your name. **_

_Hmm, you're right. _

_**She's a fool for it, one day, you'll be the strongest fire bender in the world and she'll have no choice but to bow to you.**_

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom, Eastern Air Temple**_

A day of travel brought Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph to the Eastern Air Temple where the Guru had taught Aang the secret to the avatar state. The mighty Air Bison, Appa, landed gracefully and the unsteady avatar slid down the beasts tail and without so much as any warning towards the others he began to wobble to the Temple's inner chambers.

He entered the central courtyard and found, in a meditation stance, Guru Pathik. Aang walked forward silently, not really wanting to disturb the guru from his silent trance. But he needed him aware.

"Guru Pathik…" Aang whispered.

The guru flinched and suddenly turned on his bottom, "Aang? Aang!?" The guru rose in a flurry and grabbed the Avatar by the shoulders, "Aang, you're alive! But, but how?!"

"Wait, what do you mean alive?" Aang asked, skeptical.

"Never mind, tell me what has happened, tell me everything!"

And so Aang sat down, after Guru Pathik calmed himself, and the story was told. Katara, Toph, and Sokka entered the chamber half way through the story and were able to add their point of views to the tale to make it wholly complete. Though Toph failed to mention the voice in her head and the amazing increase in her earth bending.

After the story was told the group fell into silence. Each were waiting for the Guru to absorb the information taken and then give them some advice, that was why they had come; for guidance. But he didn't speak and soon Aang had to ask once more.

"Guru Pathik, why did you think I had died?" The avatar asked.

Guru Pathik looked at Aang for several moments before standing and moving over to a large map of the world, as it was before the Fire Nation attacked, when the Air Nomads had existed. The Guru put his hands behind his back and thought for several moments.

"Aang, what do you know about that creation of the Avatar?" The Guru finally asked.

"Uh…not much. The Avatar is the protector of the world."

"No quite, the Avatar protects not only the people from each other but the people from the elements."

"Huh? I don't understand."

The Guru took a deep breath, "To understand the Avatar you must know the origin of the world." And he began to tell a story that had been long forgotten.

_Long ago the world was barren, devoid of life. The world was a cold, lifeless, mass where no life could survive. The great Spirits, who lived in the bountiful land of the Spirit Realm, pitied this world, the material realm. One day the four great Spirits, Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind, came together and decided to give life to this world, to allow it to prosper. _

_Fire, in his great and fiery glory, gave birth to the Sun Spirit and heated the core of the earth so that the surface and inside of the world would be warmed. It brought the mighty dragon to the world and within it gave it the power of fire, to rule during the day._

_Water, with its infinite love and caring, soaked the world with its tears and covered the world with water that would sustain the new life that would soon emerge. To watch her gift and she left the Moon and Ocean spirits to control the oceans, the tide, and the night._

_Earth, strong and wise, raised the continents so that those who could not live in the water had a place to survive, and gave rise to plant life. To guard all of his domain he gave the Badger mole the strength of Earth._

_And Wind, playful and gentle, spun the world on its axis and sent it on its path around the sun. To the Air Bison the power of Wind was granted, to forever rule the skies and watch from above._

_Time passed and the world, as the Great Elements predicted, flourished and soon the world was populated with many forms of life. But no other form was more loved than the human race, who's small frame, weak bodies, and short life spans were serious troubles. But for every trouble the humans would overcome them through perseverance._

_To these people the Spirits gave a gift, the gift of the elements. From each Spirit a Rune was given, a Rune of Power, that would allow one to command the elements. The Spirits gave hid these gifts to guard until worth humans claimed them. The Mightiest Dragon guarded the Rune of Fire, the Ocean forever hid the Rune of Water, the oldest Badger Mole took the Rune of Earth into the mountains, and the Rune of Wind was kept in the skies with the youngest Air Bison._

_It took twenty years for the humans to gain these artifacts, but eventually four Heroes would overcome every challenge and take the rune unto themselves. These people became the fist Benders. One Rune for one person and he who held the Rune held mastery over the element and could bless others with the gift as well, to a lesser extent._

_A time passed and eventually the people split into four civilizations, the people divided between the four heroes. The Heroes became the first leaders: the Hero of Fire became the first Fire Lord, the Hero of Earth established the Earth Kingdom, the Hero of Water claimed the North and South poles and began constructing a land of ice, and the Hero of Wind began the construction of the first Air Temple where the newly formed Air Nomads could live in peace._

_More time passed and the people began to live peacefully, the number of benders increased to a healthy population, but was never allowed to grow beyond a third of the average population. But during this time the Heroes began to grow old and the same power they wielded they began to fear, they feared their successors, and the possibility of their power being abused._

_And so the Heroes met, at a secret place, and called on the Spirits through their runes. They called them to make a pact; to have a mediator, to keep harmony in this world and with the spirit world. The Spirits answered this call, but at a price; they would give the world a savior, one of all the elements, if the powers of the Runes would be sealed away._

_The Heroes agreed and gave a piece of their rune to the Spirits, the four pieces were melded together and cast into the center of the world, at the place where the Living and Spirit realms came together. The Heroes then sealed their runes, they could still roam the earth and choose hosts, but their power was restricted and could not be unleashed. When the Heroes died no one knew where the runes had gone too._

_In time, their legend was lost and new myths were created to explain how humans first learned to bend the elements. But the fragments of the Runes, melded together, then found its first host, an Air bender, and thus the first Avatar was created._

_And from that time on, the Avatar had acted in place of the Heroes, forever keeping the world in Harmony until the time when the cycle is broken, and the Runes once more Awakened._

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A/N: Okay, so chapter one. I figured that I should do another chapter so that people can see a little more about the story before deciding to read or not. This is pretty much something I thought up myself, obviously, since we don't know what happened after the Earth Kingdom's fall, this probably won't be what really happens. But it's a fan fiction, right?

I decided to stop at the end of the Myth since it made a better ending then anything else, so this chapter might come out short. It's called 'The Myth' but I decided to add Sheng's POV(Point of View) in there to 1) Make the chapter a bit longer, and 2) To show how a Rune (Hopefully you've got that by now) and its host interact, in Sheng's and Fire's place.

So, hopefully you enjoyed this and will review, I was pretty sad last time, lol. But maybe this time things will turn around. Thanks for reading!

-Arc

PS: The next chapter, should it come, will be longer coming. I have to update my Digimon fic 'Prelude to Destiny', which is by far my most successful story, 100 reviews in 16 chapters, woot!


	3. A Path Obscured

**Chapter 2: A Path Obscured**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

N/A: Starting a day system, day one being the day Aang was struck down by Azula.

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Eastern Air Temple - Day 5**_

Guru Pathik had just finished his story and he had expected a hefty silence to consume the room but not even a second after he finished did Sokka raise his hand in question. The Guru nodded to him, to acknowledge his question.

"Yue said that the water benders learned their bending from the Moon and Ocean spirit."

"That's not true I'm afraid." Guru Pathik replied.

"Are you saying Yue lied?!" Sokka snapped back.

"Sokka, calm down." Katara soothed her brother over, who proceeded to grumble in some foreign language, "If the water benders didn't learn that way then why do they say that?"

"Who knows? It could turn out that after the Heroes vanish their legend turned into myth and after that it faded completely. It could be that the Moon and Ocean spirits, that were always around, simply made more sense after several thousand years." Guru Pathik sighed, "The truth is, we don't know how old our world is. The Heroes could have lived a million years ago, and anything could be forgotten in that time."

"I have a question!" Aang piped up, feeling his strength return to him, "You said the Runes could still travel, so does that mean they already have a host?"

Pathik nodded, "Yes, it is very likely. I believe that the Runes can only inhabit a descendant of a bender from that time. So we can assume that each Rune has found a bearer that belongs to their native nation."

"So that means a fire nation civilian has the Rune of Fire?" Sokka asked.

"Indeed, the Runes were charged with helping the people but after a time the Runes began to show grace for those who followed their first host." Guru Pathik answered and clarified.

Katara was the next to ask a question, "What about the Air Nomads? The Fire nation wiped them all out."

Guru Pathik laughed softly, "Katara, you can bend the waters, can you not?"

"Yeah, I can…but--"

"But what of your brother? He cannot. Yet, because you can bend means that you descendent from one of the original benders, blessed by the Rune of Water. The same principle applies to the Air Nomads."

"Oh, I get it!" Aang chimed in, "That means that the Wind Rune found a person who couldn't bend but still is a descendant of one."

"Correct, Aang. Right now someone is finding out they have a blood line that at some point reaches back to an Air Bender."

"That's great! That means that we could revive the Air Benders!" Aang jumped to his feet, a smiled pasted across his face.

Guru Pathik nodded multiple times, "Very likely, no, certainly possible if the Rune Bearer should choose to do so. Very likely."

Sokka waved his arms in front of his chest, "Woah, woah, woah. Hold on, I think we are forgetting the real problem here. Does anyone else remember that the Fire Nation has taken over the Earth Kingdom and that Sozn's comet is still on its way!?"

"He's got a point, these people really aren't a big concern compared to the real issue." Katara agreed.

"The real issue?! This is the real issue!" Guru Pathik protested, "Don't you understand? The Avatar was made from a portion form each of these runes, a portion."

The Guru waited to see how would catch on first and, surprisingly, it was Toph who spoke out, "It means that the Runes have more power than the Avatar. Right?"

"Yes, in fact if the Avatar were to challenge the Bearer of Fire to a purely fire bending dual the outcome would certainly be a win for the Bearer of Fire. The Avatar can bend all the elements to a devastating degree, but the Runes can bend their specific element on an even higher scale." Guru Pathik cleared his throat, "Sozin's comet, for example, just happens to be a product of the Fire Rune."

"What do you mean, product?" Aang and Katara asked at the same time. They looked at each other, blushed, and looked away.

"I don't know the whole story, but when I received my vision that I would help the Avatar I began to receive numerous other visions, of these Heroes. One story tells of a comet, ten times the size of Sozin's comet, that was heading straight for our planet. The story says that the Hero of Fire conjured up a volcano, gathered all of the magma inside of it into a massive ball and hurtled it towards the comet. The fiery mass of lava, with the power of the Fire Rune, destroyed the comet entirely, save for a small piece which was redirected back into space. I believe that fire benders gain strength from the comet because of the huge concentration of the Rune's power that was put into destroying it."

Katara shook her head, "If that's true, what do we even do? Evan Aang isn't that strong."

"Indeed, but the Runes are more like the Avatar than we know. For like the Avatar, to use the full power of the Rune, the Bearers must enter a trance similar to the Avatar State. In this trance the Bearers' minds become one with their Rune and bending that a human couldn't normally achieve is possible."

"But if it is like the Avatar State then they would just enter in when they were pushed into a dangerous position, "Sokka interrupted, "like how Aang protected himself in that iceberg for a hundred years."

"True, but there is one limitation to even this power; the human body." Guru Pathik raised his hand, to stop anyone from speaking out, "It doesn't matter how strong you are, if your body cannot handle the strain, if your mind cannot sustain the power, then such an opponent can be overcome. But only the Avatar, born from a piece of them all, can defeat them. Only he can push a Rune Bearer to their breaking point, and defeat them."

Another bout of silence fell over the group and, like last time, it was Toph who saved the group from utter oblivion in the guise of uncertain, unwanted, silence. She raised her hand and asked in a painfully blunt fashion.

"So, what are we supposed to do about them?"

The remaining members of the Avatar's group turned to Toph for several moments before simultaneously turned to Guru Pathik for his answer, which could change the entire direction of Aang's quest. He had unleashed a fearsome thing on this world and now it was his job to fix it, and not it was time to find what was needed to fix this problem.

Guru Pathik closed his eyes and bowed his head, "I don't know. The only solution I see would be to bring all four bearers together, with the Avatar, and recreate the Pact. This is a dangerous game, as of right now there are four benders, with Avatar level powers. There is no telling what could happen. Anything is possible now."

This time….the silence stayed.

------------

_**Location: Northern Water Tribe - Day 5**_

He couldn't remember anything from the past few days. They had told him that he was simply found floating outside the ice wall protecting the Northern Water tribe. Toran, for the life of him, couldn't remember anything after his promise. He felt like he had entered some sort of state, a trance perhaps.

It was bizarre.

Today Toran was returning to his lessons with Master Pakku. It was early and just recently had everyone arrived. The Water Bending Master had returned from the South Pole recently, having started the rebuilding of the North's sister tribe. Even though he wanted to stay and help he knew he needed to return to train the up and coming water benders of tomorrow.

"Good morning students, today as you know is sparring." Pakku stood next to his current prize pupil, the best he had found since Katara. "Who is willing to challenge, Mathui?"

No one answered and finally Pakku as forced to make a choice, "Toran, you are a senior warrior, come and step forward." Master Pakku patted him on the shoulder.

Toran cringed, he knew that master Pakku wasn't pleased with him. He had gotten all the forms, the styles, but he was slow and reserved and lack any real power. He had been a student when Katara had been around, that was a water bender. Cute too. Too bad she crushed him like every other student in the class.

Toran took his stance and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, he knew they were going to send him out on patrols again. Time like this, though often ending in him being wet and cold, was time to be savored.

The match itself was odd. Mathiu was tall and strong looking, with fine hair and face. Toran was just as tall but thinner and, thus, more fragile looking. His eyes were a clear blue, common among the water benders, and his skin was dark from being out in the sun almost everyday. His hair was a very dark brown which was just above shoulder length and parted down the middle. His attire consisted of what every other water bender wore, clothing meant to keep out the cold, a long sleeved shirt that wrapped around the torso and thick pants, with furry boots on his feet. Toran lacked the traditional heavy coat that he would wear when going out into the waters, not needing it for this situation.

Master Pakku gave the beginning signal.

Mathiu pulled a stream of water from a nearby jar and sent it pumping towards Toran who, spun with his hands outstretched, and lead the water back at Mathiu. Mathiu broke the water flow and turned the stream into a ball, froze it, and pushed it back towards Toran. He braced himself for his defense.

_**Feel the water, flowing, feel the current. Toran, it calls you, answer it. Let the current take you, let yourself by taken by the flow of the water. **_

Toran's hands quickly and smoothly outstretched, and he violently, yet gracefully, thrust his palms right. The ball of ice stopped and hurtled to the right. The battle that continued from that point became increasingly one-sided as Toran turned aside. Toran followed the voice's instructions, its words, its voice. He still wasn't sure what the voice as but he remebered his promise...and it seemed to be coming through on its part.

The cycle of attack and defense continued until master Pakku stopped the fight.

"Enough," The students turned and bowed, "Tell me, Toran, why did you not strike back? You're defense was impeccable and you left Mathiu open several times, explain why you did not counterattack, well?"

"It didn't seem necessary, sir." Was Toran's reply.

"So you show mercy to an enemy? Would you do so for a fire nation soldier?"

Toran considered, "…If nothing was to be gained. Needless killing leads only to more killing. We are taught to bend to protect, not to kill, right Master Pakku?"

Master Pakku didn't answer and several grumbles began to fill the air from the other students. A deep hatred had filled their hearts with anger, an anger unfitting of Water's blessed.

_**Oh, how far we have fallen. We left to the poles so that we could separate ourselves from the outside world. Toran, you must lead by example, show that killing is not the answer. Water does not crash on a bend in the river, it flows with it, alongside it. That is our way, show them the path.**_

"Isn't that right? Everyone?" Toran stepped forward, "You can't honestly think it okay to kill others because of their crimes against us! How will that solve anything?!"

"Fire lover!" One student called out.

"Traiter, I bet you left your comrades out there to freeze!"

"Toran, "Master Pakku walked up to the boy, "Perhaps you should leave and think about what you just said. We are fighting a war, perhaps you need to remind yourself where your allegiance is."

Toran slowly bowed his head after a moments hesitation, "Y-yes, Master Pakku."

Toran never went home.

------

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 4**_

Tai yawned as she sat on a nice big, and flat, rock. She had been traveling for quite sometime now and she was afraid that she was quite lost. Her abilities and new found opportunities were open to her but she had no idea how to go about controlling them. In short; she needed a teacher and there was only one air bender left in the world, Avatar Aang.

_**The nearest temple is the Eastern Air Temple, young Hye. If fortunes smile on you the avatar, as much as I dislike him, will be there and will accept you as a student.**_

_It will be quite interesting, won't it Wind? I'll really learn to fly, won't I?_

_**You, my dear, dear child, will fly as high as the currents can take you. **_

This made her happy, she wanted only to be free to go where she pleased at her whim. This, in essence, as why Wind chose her above many other possible children. Because she, was as free as the wind itself, just as the previous bearer was. Her spirit would lead the people of Wind into a new era, on the winds of this girls heart. Though she tended to be rather formal and shy in public.

Still, she had a ways to go. Wind could give her strength, speed, and power but to harness it was beyond her. She was an element, a Pure Power, she didn't understand control, she was the child of the Great Wind spirit. Hye would need a human teacher, one who could teach her control of the elements. The only problem was the Avatar himself, he would know that Hye possessed Wind, simply because all the air benders were supposed to have been wiped out. It would be a tough game.

"Well, time to start again. We have a while to go to the Air Temple. We can get there by tomorrow if I hurry."

-------

_**Location: Earth Kingdom, Eastern Air Temple - Day 5**_

Guru Pathik told Aang and the group to head back to Appa and rest, and to also collect their thoughts. The group set up camp around the air bison before the group separated into differing tasks: Sokka preparing a late lunch, Aang meditating, Katara practicing a little water bending, and Toph stretched out on the stone floor looking up blankly at the sky.

After a moment of isolation Katara broke from her practicing and walked over to Aang, "Hey, Aang. Can I talk to you for a bit?"

"Huh?" Aang's right eye flew opened, "About what?"

"I just want to talk, maybe we can take a walk?"

"Sure, Katara!" Aang air bended himself up to his feet and the two began a walk through the air temple.

The pair made a leisurely stroll through the temple in an awkward silence, though Aang was just flustered by the thought of being alone with the girl whom he thought of more then anyone else, the girl whom he had almost given up his love for to save her. He thought that she was going to say how scared she was for him, or maybe that she didn't ever want him to put himself into a position like that again.

"Aang," Katara stopped, "What are we going to do now? The Fire Nation has to be stopped but Guru Pathik seems to think that these people could be more dangerous then anything Fire Lord Ozai can throw at us."

Aang's smile dropped to a frown. _Oh, it's about that. _Slightly deflated Aang answered as best he could, "Well, we can't really find those people so for now I think we should just focus on stopping the Fire Nation."

Katara didn't seem convinced in the least, "But, Aang, Zuko and Azula had us beaten. And if these people are half as strong as Guru Pathik said they were…." Katara suddenly spun on her heels to face Aang, "How are we supposed to stop them?!"

"Hey, I'm the Avatar remember?" Aang smiled, " I'll figure something out."

"Aang, it's not the same! The Runes make them stronger, Aang, what if these people are masters already? You've only just learned earth bending and your water bending is only as good as mine!"

Aang reached out with his right hand but drew back, she was right after all. No matter how you looked at it Aang was still only a child. Aang suddenly became aware of the deepening pool of water he was wading into. He could be up against masters, a master Fire, Water, and Earth bender. The only thing he could count on was being better than the air bender, because he was the only trained bender left.

Aang reached out again. "Katara…I--"

"Are you the Avatar?" A voice interrupted.

Katara and Aang looked at the ceiling and found a girl the same age as Aang floating above them, upside down that is. Her hair was a bright brown, her eyes were a pale green, her skin a shade above pale, and she was a bit taller then Aang was. Her clothing consisted of a tan Taoist robe, sleeves longer then her arms, and a pair of pants , made similar to her robe, which ended at her ankles. Her outfit carried no symbols, save one on the her back, which held the same symbol that had appeared before master Pakku, one the girl had put on herself.

She dropped to the ground, making no noise as her feet touched the earth, and she stood between Katara and Aang, facing the Avatar and ignoring the other female. Due to the proximity of the Avatar and the female water bender, the intruders actions had forced Katara to take two steps back, to Katara's irritation.

"Are you the Avatar?" The girl asked again.

"Uh, yeah." Aang answered, "Who are you?"

"I'm Hye, and I would like you to teach me air bending." She bluntly put out.

Katara, though caught off guard, quickly stomped up to the girl, failing to notice the obvious. "Hey, what is the big idea? We were talking before you suddenly dropped….in." The light bulb flashed in her head. She was one of them, a Bearer.

Aang was quick to catch the slack, "You are an air bender…then you have the rune don't you?"

Tai, who's gaze had been completely focused on Aang throughout Katara's protest, nodded. She stepped away from the other two and jumped with a spin, landed, and jumped again with her hands stretched out. A wind violently shot up from underneath the small girl and shot her into the air, she appeared to look like a flying, spinning, toy top.

She came down to the ground as gracefully, and as soundlessly, as she had last time and looked at Aang again, "Will you teach me?"

Aang hadn't even thought of saying no to her. She was another air bender, she was like him. He had been so lonely, so isolated by his powers as the Avatar and as the sole air bender. Now he could share what he knew, what he knew best, with someone else. He nodded with a smile.

"Aang!" Katara grabbed the Avatar's arm and pulled him close, "Are you sure you should teach her? She has the rune, it might be dangerous."

"But what if she becomes our friend? She could really help us, Katara!" Aang protested.

Katara looked at Aang, slung his arm away, and turned her back to him. Aang didn't understand why she was so upset, she was never one to make enemies outright and it was very out of character for her to act in such a way. Aang thought about saying something but he knew better when she was in this mood.

"Come on, Hye. I'll introduce you to everyone else!"

"Oh, okay!" Hye smiled, apparently feeling much better now that she had been accepted. She ran after Aang as he began to run back to camp to introduce everyone.

As they left Katara turned to watch them leave and her eyes sparkled slightly, _You've never been interested in someone like that before. _It hurt her, to say the least. Sure she knew Aang was a just naturally a nice person and that it did, technically, make more sense to try and make an ally out of one of the Rune Bearers, so why did it bother her so much that he seemed to interested?

She placed a hand over her heart, whatever it was, it hurt.

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A/N: Okay, so first off I have to respond to Time Mage and his review, since it deserves an answer. To give an excuse to the reason my first two chapters seemed rushed is because they were the first two chapters. That first chapter, or two couple, is the deciding factor for many readers to continue reading or not and so I cut out a few things and sped up a little to get the main points of my story, hoping not to lose readers in extras until they know what this story is about. Now that I'm actually into the story, I will be slowing down gradually into my normal story telling details, which is very Hemingway style of prose (very simple, easy to read, writing.). Thank you for reading and noticing those things and hopefully I'll make it up in chapters to come.

Specifically to this chapter, it may seem a bit jumpy. Until things start to flow and plots start to move it might seem a bit choppy, I apologize in advance for that. I'm trying to incorporate a system so we know what day it is, whereas the show was horrible about when something happened (That always bugged me, XP).

As for the fights, as it may seem that Toran and Sheng's situations were very similiar. I had them both fight to show off their current bending abilities and I that you readers will, as the story goes on, see a progressive increase in their mastery of their styles and of the Runes (Hye too will have her moment to display her current strength, and I think we know where Toph stands.). So that is the reason I forced Toran and Kane into fighting situations, well that, and it is a stepping block for them as characters.

So, other than that, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I know that not every question has been answered, but to get all the facts at once would be boring eh? No one ever asks all the questions needed in one go, you always miss one or two.

So, read, enjoy, and review please!

-Arc.


	4. The Hunt Begins

**Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Eastern Air Temple - Day 5**_

The Avatar and company were enjoying a mostly quiet lunch, mostly meaning that only two people were talking; Aang and Hye. Aang was telling Hye all the great things about air bending, the said female listening intently with numerous and frequent nods of her head.

Sokka, as always, was skeptical of Hye and her being a Rune Bearer. Toph was neutral in this situation but was secretly interested in how another person is affected by a Rune, like herself. And Katara had opted to remain silent and eat without comment.

Toph was easily the least opposed to the idea of Hye coming with the group and even muttered a comment or two towards the female, a few Toph styled friendly questions, meaning they were painfully blunt and outright. The girl, now visibly more at ease, had answered the question with vigor similar to Aang's.

The atmosphere had grown thick and eventually someone had to ask the obvious question. Thankfully Sokka rose to the challenge before a mysteriously upset Katara did.

"Hey, Hye. So we know you've got a rune and all….what's that like?"

Hye put a finger on her chin and gave it a thought. Finding her answer she turned her hand into a fist and slammed it into the palm of her other hand softly, "It's like having a constantly nagging mother in your head, a cool mom sure, but a nagging one too."

"Huh?" Was Sokka's brilliant answer.

"The Rune is always talking to me, always trying to direct me, or had been. Ever since I met Aang and everyone else it has been pretty quiet." Hye seemed to lose herself in thought again but quickly returned to reality with a smile, "Yep, she's not here."

"She?" Aang asked.

"Oh, well, I think it's a she, it sure sounds like one. She acts like a mother type so I just assumed. It never said itself to be one or the other." Hye clarified.

Sokka looked a bit skeptical while Aang seemed vaguely interested, Toph was neutral about it since she too had a voice booming in her head, and Katara remained as distanced as she had been the entire meal. The group fell into silence.

Aang stood up, "Maybe I should take Hye to see Guru Pathik. Come on Hye." Aang pointed to where they were heading and Hye stood with a slightly confused nod.

Aang and Hye ventured into the temple leaving the remaining group behind. Momo choose this time to appear from no where and stole the remaining portion of Aang's food before running back into hiding. Toph fell unto her back and grunted as a cloud of dust engulfed her.

Katara pushed her food away, "I guess Aang has found a new girlfriend."

"Wha? Who? Hye?" Sokka asked while his mouth was full of food.

"What is up with Aang anyway?! Doesn't he realize that that girl is dangerous?" Katara stomped to her feet and threw her hands up in the air.

Sokka mumbled something, swallowed his food, and tried again, "What are you talking about, Katara?"

Katara looked at her brother, "Ugh! What is it with you boys! Toph, what do you think?"

The female earth bender didn't even change her position , "I doesn't really matter to me. I'm just here to teach Aang earth bending." Toph flung herself up into a sitting position, "You sure seem jealous though."

"Jealous!? Of what?! Why would I be jealous?" Katara snapped.

"Hey, don't ask me. I'm just pointing out that ever since Hye came over you've been a sour apple." Toph flopped unto her back again.

Seeing that Katara was about to explode Sokka decided to make a quick intervention, "Katara, calm down. I know that she could be dangerous but Aang's right, we don't need anymore enemies." Sokka put down his food, " All we've been doing lately is running from the Fire Nation and from people like the Dai Li. The more people we have on our side the better, and Hye could be a great ally. I think Aang knows that too."

"But…"

Sokka walked over to his sister, "Katara, what's really bothering you? Normally you'd be the first one to welcome a new friend, right with Aang." Sokka waved his hands about, "I'm normally the untrusting guy!"

Katara sighed, "I don't know…but you're right, we need all the help we can get." She smiled at her brother, "I don't know why I got so upset, I'm sorry."

Sokka sat back down, "I know that Jet fooled us all, but I don't have any bad feelings about Hye...I think she's a good person. I don't think we have to worry about her betraying us."

"I hope you're right."

Away from Katara, Toph, and Sokka, Aang and Hye entered the inner sections of the Eastern Air Temple and encounted Guru Pathik in deep thought, or he appeared to be. As soon as foot steps came into his ear shot he was turning on his butt and focusing on the two newcomers.

"Ah, Aang and…?" Guru Pathik began, eying Hye.

"Guru Pathik, this is Hye, an air bender." Aang put special emphasize on 'air bender' to point out the already painfully obvious. The guru's eyes opened wide for only a second before reverting back to his normal casual, almost sleepy, gaze.

"Ah, hello Hye, I suppose you have many questions about the rune you have?" Guru Pathik patted the ground, a sign to tell the two to sit.

Hye sat as she answered, "Um…no," she shook her head, "not really. It's something that happened, and I like that it happened. I want to learn to air bend."

"I said I would teach her, Guru Pathik." Aang chimed in.

"Did you now? I see. Well Hye you do know that the Avatar is trying to defeat the fire nation? You'll have to travel with him if you want to learn and it could lead to trouble." The Guru continued the casual conversation, now deciding to avoid the Rune subject for a time.

Hye shrugged, "I don't mind and Wind has already told me all about the Avatar and his relation to the runes." Putting her right hand to her forehead she continued, "and if Aang will teach me air bending I will promise to seal the pact again if he can get the other three to sign it as well, but only after I finish my lessons in Air bending."

Aang looked to Guru Pathik for a gesture that would say it was okay for Aang to take this wild card with him on his journey. The old sage crossed his arms and took in the deal given to him. To allow Hye to grow was to put Aang in great danger should the Rune, or its Bearer, turn on the Avatar. As she was now she couldn't harm him greatly. On the other hand if she trained, became strong, and remained an ally she could turn the tables greatly in Aang's favor. With the backing of Wind the chances of stopping the Fire nation would increase, and could be a valuable weapon against the Rune of Fire, since it will most likely align itself with the Fire Nation.

"Very well! If you feel so strongly I see no reason to stop you, if Aang wishes to teach you then taught you shall be." He was lying of course, or rather he was completely unsure if such a choice was the best path to take. Only time would tell now.

---------

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Ba Sing Se - Day 5**_

Five days, had passed since Azula had struck down the Avatar and five days since that water bending girl, Katara, took off with the Avatar. Even worse, it had been five days since Zuko had turned on his uncle, Iroh, and turned back over to the Fire Nation.

In the dungeons Zuko walked past cell after cell, he hadn't spoken to his uncle ever since the incident and before he left he wanted one last chance to justify his decision. At the last cell he stopped by the door, refusing to look through the tiny barred window at his favorite relative.

"Uncle, I'm leaving to search for the Avatar." Zuko stated, keeping his expressions hard and his face forward.

"I see. So, my nephew, you still believe that what you did was right?" Iroh asked from the shadows.

Zuko nodded, "Azula says I restored my honor that day…and--"

"And you believe her? Zuko, you know more than anyone that Azula cannot be trusted."

"Which is why I'm going after the Avatar, I want to find him and bring him back, dead or alive." Zuko's fist tightened, the thoughts of all the struggle the Avatar had put him through flooding into his mind. If he had only captured him in the beginning he could have returned to the Fire Nation…and regained his throne.

"Zuko, listen to me! The path you are heading down is not one you want to lead." Iroh quickly moved towards the gate, "Look at yourself, you've betrayed everyone, even yourself!"

"NO!" Zuko moved away from the cell door, "No, uncle, you've betrayed me. You were supposed to help me capture the Avatar, not help him escape!"

Iroh's face dropped, "Zuko…your father cannot be trusted, just like Azula! They are bringing his country down, because of them an entire nation of people have lost their honor! And you've lost yours my nephew!"

"Shut up! Don't act like you know my father, you're just jealous that he became Fire Lord over you!" Zuko gritted his teeth, "That's why you never taught me the more advanced fire bending techniques, you didn't want me to grow stronger!"

"No, Zuko, I didn't teach you everything because you were not ready. The fact that you couldn't bend lightning without it exploding in your face shows that. Your heart is still conflicted, even now you don't know if the choice you made was correct."

Before Zuko could answer footsteps he sensed another presence and turned to face his sister who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The fire princess' smile held that same superior mockery that Zuko had come to loath.

"That's quite enough uncle, I think you've had your chance to turn my brother into a traitor." Azula walked up to Zuko, "But I think you're right, Zuzu, I think the Avatar needs to be confirmed dead or alive and I'm willing to let you go after him…on one condition."

"Don't listen to her Zuko!" Iroh protested, "The avatar is needed to keep balance in the world, if Azula gets her hand on him then nothing is safe!"

Ignoring his uncle Zuko asked for the single condition for his allowance to hunt the Avatar, and his group, down.

"It's simple really, you just have to take with you a soldier or two of my choosing, for security. Now that you have returned to us as a loyal member of our family we can't have you dying on us." Of course it was a lie, the whole ordeal was to simple keep Zuko on a leash, to watch him closely.

"Two people will slow me down, make it one." Zuko requested forcefully.

"Humph, I hardly think you're in a position to ask for more than what you are given, Zuzu."

"Stop calling me that!" Zuko roared.

Azula hardly seemed phased but she relented, "Fine, one soldier than. And I know just the man for the job." She turned to Iroh's cell, "You should see him uncle, a natural with lots of potential…but no self-restraint at all. Remind you of anyone?"

Iroh remained silent for several seconds, "Yes, your father. He was a powerful fire bender but could not control his own emotions. He is a loose cannon waiting to explode."

"Oh, I was talking about you, uncle. You have so much potential too, but you let your feelings get in the way of what was most important; your family." Azula smiled at the darkness of the cell and, feeling that her job was done, turned her back on Zuko ,"I'll have your partner briefed tonight, you may leave in the morning Zuko." And then she left, knowing that she had been victorious.

Zuko waited several moments, for the sole purpose of putting distance between himself and Azula. Once he felt that he was safe from her influence he began to his own exit. He didn't care about this other soldier, as long as he didn't slow him down he wouldn't have any problems.

Iroh called out to him, "Zuko! Don't destroy the Avatar, search your heart, you know that it is the wrong thing to do!" Iroh pressed himself against the door, "I know you want your fathers acceptance, but your father only cares for conquest!"

Zuko didn't reply, be continued down the hall, eyes closed and his fists tight. He knew his path and be it right or wrong mattered little. It was about honor now and somehow he knew that only by confronting the Avatar was he going to obtain that honor again.

"ZUKO!"

That was Iroh's last futile attempt to garner his nephew's attention…

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Ba Sing Se - Day 5**_

Sheng had quite the full day: a meeting with a princess, an early morning fight with the Dai Li, a complete turn around in the attitudes of the men around him, and now he had a personal request from the Fire princess? Fate, if there was such a thing, had quite a sense of humor.

But his fellow fire benders had taken a better liking to him now, or rather they respected his abilities and saw that he graduated early from the academy for a real reason, that he was a good fire bender. A few of them approached him an ate their lunch with him, and after a few moments of uncertainty Sheng felt that he could get along in his new place.

Still, he was one of two fire benders called to see Princess Azula for a special mission. Though Sheng had yet to see the other fire bender who was to accompany him on this mission and as such he stood alone in the former Earth Kingdom's throne room. He wondered what had happened to the second fire bender.

Odd thing was that the room was completely empty and Sheng was beginning to wonder if this whole thing was actually some kind of cruel prank to embarrass the 'genius' or something of the sort. Sheng sighed, trying to calm himself. It was a huge problem he had, his temper, and he spent so much time controlling himself that he more often than not came off as just completely dull and cold. But it was better than falling into a rage like he knew he could…it had gotten he warden of the academy maimed and landed him in the position he was in now.

The sound of movement caused Sheng to shift his body to the left so he could watch the spectacle as a girl came cart wheeling into the room. The girl came up to the stairs that lead to the throne and stopped as gracefully as she had entered. She had her back to Sheng and for a moment he thought she hadn't noticed him, but the thought was quickly trashed as she bent backwards, to the point where she could put her hands on the ground.

"Oh, hi! You must be the new guy who beat up those Dai Li." The girl brought her lower half into the air and walked towards Sheng on her hands. Sheng wasn't sure if he should back away, fry her, or stand perfectly still. What was this girl doing here? She couldn't be part of the fire nation army, could she?

_Wait…she isn't my partner is she?!_ The thought struck Sheng so suddenly that he actually stepped back once.

The girl saw the movement, "What? Never seen a girl bend before?" She flipped from her position up to her feet.

Before Sheng could answer another girl entered, no two, one was Azula and the other was a girl who didn't seem to be very interested in this meeting at all. Princess Azula walked up to her throne, if it could really be called hers. The girl, Mai, took a seat on one of the steps and appeared bored as could be.

Ty Lee, as Sheng later learned was her name, was no longer as cheerful as she normally was. A slight, almost nonexistent expression passed over her face. Sheng caught it only by chance but couldn't make up what it signified. Fire seemed to know that look though.

_**Fear. This girl fears the fire princess.**_

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here." Azula had the small smirk on her face that Sheng had ever seen. He began to wonder if this girl was naturally cold or if it was a front she put up.

When Sheng hadn't answered, because of his own thoughtful musings, Azula stood from her throne and continued with her briefing as she walked towards her soldier.

"My brother, Zuko, is preparing to go after the Avatar and as much as I want to go after him myself I have to prepare Ba Sing Se to be presented to my father, otherwise I'd have Zuko stay right here." Azula walked around Sheng , hand behind her back, " But Zuko is a hard case and I can't have him leaving Ba Sing Se unattended…which is where you will be coming in. You'll be accompanying Zuko while he searches for the Avatar, to find his remains should he be dead or to finish the job if he isn't. Any questions?"

_Humph, that's about as vague as a mission briefing could get, isn't it Fire?_

_**She wants to keep you as in the dark as possible…obviously this Prince Zuko isn't trustworthy….but that could be useful to us. **_

_Seems more like a babysitting job than a mission. Let's see what else we can find._

After a second of conversation within himself Sheng had one question only, "Is this mission to find the Avatar….or to watch Prince Zuko?"

Azula stopped her march, placing herself to Sheng's right. The silence seemed to leak on forever, but before the feeling could began to really feel like an eternity the fire nation princess turned her head to look at Sheng .

"Does that bother you? To spy on a member of Royalty?" Azula moved to Sheng's front and regarded his face, "Zuko has shown to be, untrustworthy at times, and if he chooses to get out of line you will act. Is that a problem?"

Sheng regarded he question. He found himself surprised to that the answer came to him within seconds.

_**Loyalty, to the Fire Nation, the people, not to the royalty.**_

"No, I have no problems at all. If Prince Zuko should try and turn on the Fire Nation I will strike him down."

"Excellent, but as added insurance, if you do break your oath….lets just say that your family will have more hardships than they currently have. I was going to send another with you, but something came up. You'll go with him alone." Azula turned her back on Sheng and walked back to her throne. The young man took that as a dismissal, and so he left.

_**Mark that one…she toys with us. I see now the blight in our nation is deep indeed.**_

_She's using my family against me…_

_**Calm, we will have our chance yet. And we have much work to do…I see now that our nation has lost its honor, its royalty care nothing for nobility and chivalry. I see now that our job may very well require us to topple the fire nation from the inside.**__** But I fear that the people of Fire may be beyond saving and you will need a teacher before the end. This struggle may continue for some time. To start, we need to get inside the Fire Nation's command.  
**_

…_Then I guess we should start by gaining trust._

_**Indeed…and watching Prince Zuko might just be the way to do it.  
**_

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**A/N: **Alright, so chapter 3 (Or 4 if you count the prologue). Hopefully to you readers things seem to be coming together with most of the characters from the show and my two of my own characters moving towards a goal now.

About my OC, for those that might be concerned, I don't plan for them to take the spotlight from Aang and the other originals. This story was made from the lack of information about the Avatar story and so, in my free time, I began filling the gaps…and here we are. I hope for these OC's to add an interesting perspective to the Avatar story but, like I stared before stated, these people won't be taking the story over (and shoot me if I stray).

Anyway, some feedback on the story thus far would be great, though I realize things are just barely getting off the ground. Feedback on my characters would be great too, since I know Avatar is currently loaded with Mary Sue's (Cursed things). Oh, and I lack any one to look at my stuff prior to a posting so I ask you, did you think Katara's reaction was in character? I know she has a temper at times but as I'm writing I'm wondering if it might have been much. Doing that part I was going off of Katara's experience with Jet and that, even though she forgave him, she might have learned not to trust so easily. Opinions?

Other than that I don't have much to say, I think I did a good job with Zuko and Iroh, any tips would be awesome, and I think I got Azula pretty good. But any pointers would be cool. Sorry for typos too, I try my best to get them but there are times when I forget the 'w' in was and I don't pick it up, and neither does spell check. Bare with me on those, I normally catch them a day or two later (but only after I publish them…go figure.)

Read and Review!

-Arc


	5. Moving Forward

**Chapter 4: Moving Forward  
**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

NOTE: A review made me realize that I had not given enough thought to the names of two of my three OC's. I have changed their names to reflect a more asian background. Kane is now Sheng, which means Truimph, Tia is now Hye, which means Graceful. Toran's name stays the same, as I thought of it from the word 'Torrent', which is a good meaning for his person. I have the names changed in the story, so this is more for those that have already read this. Give me a thought on the new names._**  
**_

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 5**_

After the training session with Master Pakku Toran became painfully aware that he, and Water, could not accomplish the task set to them from the Water Tribes, who seemed content to simply hide behind their walls and play a defensive war. If they wanted to restore the two poles to their former glory than Toran would have to somehow bring down the Fire Nation. The question was; how? How does one go about bring down an Empire?

Water advised that a trip to the Earth Kingdom would be beneficial. A trip their might reveal some anti-fire nation resistance, and such groups Toran could possibly help as they tried to overthrow the Fire Government. A long shot, but at this point in the war everything was a long shot.

_**To think that things would have become so bad…if I were not sealed I would have prevented the Fire Nation's spread, as would Wind and Earth. We could have stopped this.**_

_There isn't any point in dwelling on what could have been. The Avatar failed and there isn't anything else too it, we'll have to make due._

From the North Pole Toran entered the northern reaches of the Earth Kingdom and was heading south towards Ba Sing Se to see if any resistance had formed there, or gathered around the King if Ba Sing Se still stood, there were rumors of its fall. If Ba Sing Se turned out to be useless then Toran would head to Omashu, where he had heard of resistance building. The water bender was moving through a thick forest, a small distance from Ba Sing Se, a days trip or so.

As he moved he caught sight of a shift in the foliage. Toran took a defensive stance, the dual pouches of water, one on each hip, shook slightly at the sudden movement. The foliage moved again, in the same spot to his left. Toran turned to face it, pulling out the contains of one of his pouches, pulling the bending water out in a stream.

A third movement and Toran lashed out with a water whip, caught something in its grip and pulled said object out and towards him. The human figure cried out and as it was pulled up and forward, into the air, and dropped to the earth abruptly on her backside. The human, female, laid still and apparently was badly injured. The female struggled to stand again but seemed to be making little progress and collasped. If he had known she was injured he wouldn't have struck out.

Toran ran over to her, "Hey, are you alright?" He lifted her head and saw she had auburn hair, smeared white make-up which looked to be several days old, and several cuts and burn marks on her outfit.

The girl opened her eyes slowly she seemed to register something with Toran, "So…kka." Hey eyes closed again and she passed out.

"…Sokka?" Toran looked out, no one else was with her. What was she doing all the way out here like this?

_**She's has been carrying those wounds without treatment for sometime now. Toran, you should attempt to heal the smaller wounds.**_

_I never learned how to heal. That was left to the women, it was our tradition. Besides, not everyone has that ability, its rare._

_**Nonsense, I may not be able to teach you how to master healing but you are blessed with my Rune! Healing is not beyond you, attempt it, I will guide your hand as best I can.**_

Doubtful but still willing to try and help Toran put the girl's head back unto the ground softly. He placed both hands on her right arm and called half of his bending water to him. He opened his mind to Water's words and tried his best to follow her, as he believed her to be a female spirit.

_**Calm your mind, think of a soothing pool of water, still and serene. Use the water at your hands to connect with the wounds, swallow them, fill them, let the water become a medicine. Concentrate.**_

The water glowed a strange blue in his hands but he could visibly see that the wound, a small cut, was beginning to mend and mend quickly, though larger wounds would obviously take much, much, longer. Even so, it was a start and a start was all that he wanted at this point.

_At least this time, I can help someone._

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 6**_

Sheng showed up at the appointed place, the southern gate leading out of Ba Sing Se. He was probably several minutes early but from the looks of a lone man waiting at the gate it didn't seem that it would be a problem to deal with.

An older teenager, whom Sheng assumed to be Prince Zuko, straightened himself when Sheng approached. The two fire benders, naturally wary of others, eyed the other for a few moments until Zuko began to move towards the gate. Sheng followed.

They passed the gate and well beyond the mighty walls of the once unconquerable city without so much as a word between them. The two young men had as much desire to talk to the other as two duelist in an Agni Kai. But Sheng needed some conversation, simply to form some kind of trust between them. But stubbornness and refusing to be the first one to crack and talk stopped him from making the first move.

So they walked until night. When it came time to set up camp the two continued on, each secretly unwilling to admit to the other that they were tired. Zuko would cast glances at Sheng, and Sheng in turn would do the same. Zuko, out of pride, continued while Sheng, to needing to keep up with Zuko, followed without rest.

The traveled for a few more hours before Sheng, bitter and unwilling to go any further finally snapped. He stopped in his tracks and threw his things to the ground, "This is far enough for tonight, we camp!" The younger fire bender began to ready his things for a much needed sleep.

Zuko didn't seem phased in the slightest but also began to ready his sleeping bag for a nights rest. The two men put themselves as far away as possible from the other and did their best to sleep.

The only problem was that neither slept. Sheng was afraid that Zuko might slip away and Zuko, ironically, was hoping to slip away. They both tried to feign sleep as best they could as they also focused on any sound that would alert the them of the others status.

_This is ridiculous…I can't sleep or he'll get away and if I don't sleep then I'm tired for tomorrow._Sheng made a heavy sigh and turned his back to Zuko so he could keep his eyes open, while appearing to sleep.

_**Humans are such frail creatures and you are weak. Elements like me don't need sleep.**_

_Fine, why don't YOU watch him then?_

_**Very well then, I shall.**_

_Tsk, like you could…..can you?_

_**Easily. He is a human that puts out a constant body heat. I can easily keep track of him. Since we are partners in this struggle I shall take the night watch, you should rest yourself, or your body will only be weaker in the morning.**_

Sheng wasn't about to complain. He didn't know a whole lot about the voice in his head or the powers given to him but he did know that thus far Fire had not lied to him, ever. So he had no reason to distrust him. Sheng closed his eyes and easily fell asleep.

Zuko on the other hand was not as lucky as Sheng and while his 'partner' looked to be asleep he couldn't be sure. It's not that Zuko didn't trust Sheng, well he didn't, but more then that he didn't trust Azula and it was for that sole reason that Zuko was going to attempt to break away from Sheng.

But not tonight, and not now. He was tired and his follower had proven to be of a more durable material then Zuko had previously given him credit for. Not only that but he was worried about Sheng's abilities, Azula didn't compliment easily but his sister did think something of him, which meant he probably wasn't a lackey. No, he'd have to think of a plan…but for now he would sleep and hope that Sheng would stay awake and be too tired in the morning to continue, perhaps Zuko could leave him behind with the excuse that he was slowing him down.

But that would have to wait till morning.

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 6**_

On returning to the group Aang, along with Tia, began to discuss their next possible course of action. The group began putting out various ideas that could be used as a plan of action.

"How about Omashu? We could go see if Bumi has escaped or we could find the Earth Kingdom resistance again?" Aang asked.

Toph interjected, "I don't think we're going to be able to save the Earth Kingdom."

"I agree, I think we need to focus on stopping the Fire Nation." Tia agreed with the earth bender.

Katara flinched, "I don't think you've been around long enough to understand the situation Tia."

"Actually, I think Toph might be right." Aang nodded, " I need to find a teacher for fire bending and if stopping the Fire Nation is the only way then we will need to confront the Fire Lord directly."

"Okay, okay, we all know how to stop the Fire Nation, but the question is how to do we get to Fire Lord Ozai? We can't just waltz in, "Sokka sarcastically mentioned. The warrior pulled out his boomerang and began to draw, "We need support no matter how we look at it. The key is the period of time when the fire benders lose their power, that's the time we have to focus on. I know a lot of you won't like this idea but I think we should split up."

"What?!" Katara protested, "Split up!?"

Sokka nodded, "Right, I think we should send a group to Omashu to see Bumi, another pair to find my father, and another group should head straight into Ba Sing Se."

Katara shook her head, "Wait Sokka, I know you really want to see our father but this is ridiculous!"

"I know, and I wouldn't advise his plan if we weren't in serious trouble. At this point we have no allies, every nation but the Water Tribe has been either destroyed or conquered, we have no allies anymore. And we all know the Water Tribe doesn't have the strength to help us." Sokka began to draw lines on his map, "There are five of us, and that should work fine."

"Aang and Tia, "Sokka pointed at them, "I'm sending you to meet Bumi."

"Why Tia and Aang?" Katara asked.

"Because Aang knows Bumi and Tia is learning air bending from Aang." Sokka looked back at his map and continued before Katara could make anymore objections, "Me and Katara will try and find my father. We'll need some way to divert the Fire Nation's navy so that Appa can get us across, we don't want a repeat of when commander Zhao almost roasted us when we were going to see Avatar Roku. My father should be able to help with that."

"So that leaves me to head into Ba Sing Se?" Toph asked the obvious question.

"Right, with your families influence you can more easily get into the city and since you are an Earth Kingdom citizen it won't draw attention."

"Okay, hold on Sokka. The plan sounds great but why is Toph going into Ba Sing Se?" Aang seemed confused.

"Don't worry about that Aang, you just worry about find King Bumi. I'll explain the rest of the plan tomorrow once I've had time to go over it in my head but for now I think we should get some sleep." Sokka yawned and walked off to his sleeping bag. Half because he was tired and half because he hoped that after a nights sleep the sudden, and stressful, appearance of Tia would be smoothed over.

"Yeah, sleep sounds good." Toph made a tent of earth around the exact spot she was sitting.

Aang and Tia, having no other reason to stay awake and since Sokka seemed to be in a rush to get away from the others, they decided to head to bed as well. It was Katara who stood up and approached her brother, as her sleeping bag was nearest his.

"Sokka, why are you splitting us up?"

Sokka remained silent in his bag before muttering, "Because I don't know if we can stop the Fire Nation anymore."

Katara laid down in her own bag, next to Sokka's, "Then why are you splitting us up?"

"Because, if we split up then our chances of getting help increase and we can do it faster. Not only that but we can draw attention away from Aang, hopefully."

"But leaving him alone with Tia?"

"It can't be helped Katara, we don't have much choice in the matter. I can't go alone and Tia isn't much help unless she begins her bending lessons from Aang. It's just the way things fell out."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I…we don't have a lot of time until the Solar Eclipse…we have to be ready."

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 6**_

Five of them in all. After helping the first young woman he had found Toran found four more in similar dress, and with similar wounds. It was tedious work to gather them all and then heal them, but it was work that gave Toran some practice with his healing ability.

It was getting late and Toran was exhausted from his constant work, and after finding fire wood and lighting said wood he found that his body had finally given in to fatigue and crumbled to the ground. Toran pulled his knees to his chest and stared at the fire blankly as his face bobbed up and down as he struggled to keep awake so he could watch for any changes in the status of the five women he had found.

_**One wakes, the first we found.**_

Toran turned and found that Water was correct, as it had been in most of its judgments. The first girl with a reddish brown hair color had started to stir. She first shook her head and then jerked up into a sitting position as the realization of her surroundings came crashing to her.

Toran put his hand up to signal her, "Be careful, you'll wake the others, and you're wounds probably aren't completely healed."

The women quickly took to her feet despite Toran's advice and reached for something, probably missing weapons, but found none on her person. Realizing this she took a fighters stance and poised herself a few yards away from Toran who was far too tired to react.

"Who are you?" Came her first and most obvious question.

"Toran of the Water Tribe." Came the first and most obvious answer. "And you?"

She seemed hesitant for a moment but lowered her guard after looking Toran over, "I'm Suki, a Kyoshi Warrior."

"Ah," Toran had heard of the Kyoshi Island Warriors, a band of females trained in the style of martial arts that Avatar Kyoshi had used during her time as the Avatar. "So, what is a Kyoshi Warrior doing so far from home?"

Suki sat down on the opposite side of the fire, "I could ask the very same of you."

"But I'm not the one who looked like they were run down by a couple of Rhinos." Toran shot back, but lacking any sort of venom, since it would require more strength then Toran was willing expend this late at night.

"We were attacked by the Fire Nation, three female warriors and we were defeated." Suki said finally. "But tell me, why are you here and why did you help us?"

Toran looked at the other girls and then back to Suki, "Is that odd? To help others?" Toran closed his eyes and pulled his knees closer, "Why is it so strange to want to protect people? I saw you and your friends in trouble and I helped."

"You're avoiding the other question, "Suki pointed out, "That doesn't tell me why you're here."

Toran chuckled, "No it doesn't and to be honest, I don't even know myself." The Water tribesmen laid down on his back and turned on his side, "I'm just following a voice in my head."

A moment of silence passed as Suki stared at Toran with a looked of odd familiarity. She then grunted and made some gesture with her hands that Toran couldn't see.

"Ugh….what is it with water tribe men?" Suko exclaimed irritably.

"What?"

"Nothing."

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**A/N: **Alright, so another chapter. And I had forgotten to mention something about my writing style. As some of you may have noticed the scenes are fairly short, in some places, and seem sporadic. This is because I'm trying to go for an episode feel, the avatar episodes changes views a lot and I am trying to create a similar feel (though obviously this isn't thirty minutes long so it might feel like things are progressing slowly).

And about the character name change, it is final unless someone puts a gun, or weapon of some kind, to my head, in which case I will apologize about any change my attacker demands of me. But I don't see that as a problem so they should be final. Thanks to AdverK for bringing my lack of good naming selection. Final names though, unless the above scenario occurred, but it shouldn't so we're good.

And Wa La, traditionally I had four OC's but I cut them down to three because it worked out better, with three I could have one interacting with a different group, Aang, Zuko/Azula, and Suki. Besides that, I found that Toph would make a much better Rune Bearer anyway, since she's pretty awesome as is.

Next chapter we have some action, well, lots of is actually(Which is why this chapter was cut a little short). Stay tuned! Read and Review!

-Arc


	6. Seperation and Conflict

**Chapter 5: Separation and Conflict!**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

Zuko awoke early, just as the sun was rising. His eyes fluttered open to take in his surroundings while the rest of his body remained completely still except for the movement that signaled he was breathing. He listened for any sound that Sheng had awoken…nothing.

Sometime during the night Zuko had turned his back on Sheng which meant he had to gamble on his escape at this point. To have him awake would seem traitorous to the Fire Nation and he didn't want that, but to stay in the ever watchful gaze of a man in the employ of his sister was almost as bad, almost.

He brought himself to his feet slowly, so slowly that it was almost painful. He looked and saw that Sheng had his back to him and appeared to be asleep, but nothing could be certain yet. He grabbed his bag and began to sneak away, slowly, ever so slowly.

His feet stepped on the ground silently, silently. CRACK! Zuko froze, he had stepped on a twig and it sounded like he broke an iron bar or shattered a boulder, or both. He turned his head over his shoulder to turn and looked at Sheng.

He was gone.

Zuko turned to his front, dropping his bag, and instantly knew his opponent had come at him low. He felt a powerful sweeping foot make contact with his right ankle and sweep him off his feet and teetering towards the ground.

Zuko's right hand planted on the ground and he used his momentum to force himself into a sideways summersault. The Fire Nation prince righted himself on his feet and took a forwards stance towards Sheng who took a similar, but less refined stance towards him.

"So you were watching me, must have been up all night." Zuko muttered irritably.

"Heh, I've got a voice in my head that told me something fishy was going on." Sheng replied.

Zuko didn't understand the comment but he did note that Sheng had slept, for he looked sleepy but not tired. A kind of wariness that came when one first awoke, but different from the sluggishness when one lacked sleep. If Sheng hadn't been asleep Zuko knew he wouldn't have been able to deliver such a blow.

"So, how is this going to be?" Sheng asked, taking a step forward.

"The Avatar is mine, and I won't have a pair of Azula's eyes watching my every move!" Zuko barked back.

Not missing a beat Sheng replied, "Not my problem, I'm just following orders."

Zuko decided that talking was a waste of time and shot his fists forward, fire jutting from his fists in controlled bursts. Sheng in response began his own spray of fire and the two were quickly caught up in a fire dual consisting of dodging the others attack while continuing their own assault.

After a brief stalemate Zuko began to push Sheng back who was not as well trained as Zuko was, Zuko having special training from Iroh while Sheng was instructed in basic academy styles. The two flipped, rolled, and maneuvered out of the way while continuing their barrage of fireballs, neither seemed willing to move forward until an opening appeared.

_**Sheng stop holding back, use your hatred and anger, fuel the fires! Azula, the warden, both of them have been using you. Stand up and show this prince you are a chosen child of fire!**_

_It's not that easy! I have as body to protect!_

_**Tsk, risk is part of fire bending. You play with fire, Sheng! Take up the risk and strike.**_

Sheng growled as he dropped to the floor in a crouch, his right leg extended out to his side while his left was planted on the ground bent. He planted both hands on the ground and pushed his body up and around so he outstretched leg was spinning towards Zuko. Sheng released a large arc of flame was his striking feet, an arc that would cause Zuko to jump or avoid it in some way.

Zuko flipped over the flaming arc and came down in the same stance as Sheng did when he bent down to the ground, only his leg was stretched out in the front, but it ended in another flaming arc flying over the ten foot gap between the two.

Sheng rolled over, unto his back, to avoid the flaming wave and pushed himself up unto his feet, charging at Zuko with a yell. Zuko took a defensive stance as Sheng threw a right hook at Zuko. The Fire Prince blocked and pushed it aside while launching a kick with his right foot towards Sheng's side. The striking foot was caught between Sheng's side and his left arm.

Zuko then used Sheng's grip on him and shot a straight punch at Sheng, which was caught in Sheng's free hand. With both of his opponents hands tied up Zuko lifted his left foot and sent a flaming kick into Sheng's gut, propelling the soldier to the ground on his back while Zuko was able to twist himself and land on his feet, crouched.

Sheng scrambled away, his stomach burning and the basic impact of the kick being far more powerful then any blow he thought Zuko could give. He rushed to his feet, left hand over his stomach, and took a slightly different variant of a front stance, in that his front foot was planted side-ways instead of forward.

Zuko was moving in on Sheng to put an end to this fight and move on afterwards. He was in front of Sheng, low and rising for a flaming uppercut. Sheng staggered back out of the way and avoided the impact of the blow but the flames burned. Zuko went for another blow but his uppercut left him open and Sheng used it to jump into the air and kick out at him with both feet.

Zuko put his hands out in front of him to block and felt the flames and the contact of Sheng's feet meeting his arms. Zuko stumbled back before he lost his balance and was sprawled over the ground. But the blow wasn't as definite since he blocked it and he was able to right himself about the same time.

Both took their stances and watched the other, both wary of the other. Zuko appeared to be less tired, more calm, and in the better position to win this fight. Sheng must have noticed it when he started conversation.

"Why are you running anyway?"

"To find the avatar and restore my honor."

Sheng grunted, "You're going to cause Azula to distrust you."

"She'll always distrust me." Zuko replied.

"How about we make a deal then, I've got people I need to protect…people your sister are using against me." Sheng admitted warily.

Zuko looked around him, "How can I trust you?"

"I could ask the same of you, prince Zuko. You're tied to the royal family…I'm just a soldier. You could turn me in at anytime, but I would need evidence to get at you."

"Why should I help you? You can't even control your fire bending, look at yourself." Zuko gestured towards Sheng.

Sheng looked at himself, he was in his civilian clothes consisting of a long white t-shirt underneath a sleeveless vest and buttoned up at his neck with a collar that popped up around his neck, his pants were a plain coarse material meant to be more functional then fashionable. The noticeable thing were that his long sleeve shirt was burned at the wrists and his pants at the ankles. He must have burned them while fighting Zuko and the only time he had been hit was in the stomach which meant that Sheng had almost inflicted harm on himself.

"Tsk, and you're too emotional! All of your attacks are filled with emotion and lack any of the calm needed to fight!" Sheng barked.

Zuko didn't respond. That was exactly what his uncle had said to him when he was trying to learn to bend lightning…and it was probably still true. Even so, he couldn't let Sheng get the upper hand and so he issued a challenge, "If you're so in control of your emotions then why don't you bend lightning!"

A bold challenge, Sheng knew, lightning was the elite of the fire bending principle and he had only seen the warden and the top fire benders at the academy even attempt it, most times they failed. But his pride wouldn't allow him to back down.

"Fine." Sheng took the stance he had seen and squashed all of his emotions, killed them with a burst of fire. Like his father had told him when he went to the academy 'No emotion, no weakness, you must be a cold wall of stone to survive.'. It was a hard thing to accomplish for Sheng was full of hate and despair, his family struggled while he was forced to try and fight to fill his oath to Fire. He hated his position and despaired that he would never see his family again. But he killed those emotions for now and began to move his hands.

_**I shall try and guide your hand. Listen to the energy in you…and you may come out unharmed.**_

At Sheng's finger tips sparks began to generate and Zuko stood in shock, there was no way he could pull it off, a lowly soldier like Sheng? It didn't make sense. The sparks grew in visibility and then Sheng thrust his fingers forward and then nothing happened. No lightning, no explosion, nothing.

_Darn it!_

_**You couldn't control it, but since your emotions were calm no explosion occurred…an interesting development.**_

"No explosion…" Zuko muttered, that had been all he could create when making lightning.

Sheng nodded, "Not enough control I guess…but my emotions were in check so I didn't get the backlash."

The two looked at the other for a moment and both said together, " A deal." Sheng walked towards Zuko and nodded, which Zuko returned.

"I'll help you capture the Avatar if you teach me control."

"And you'll teach me to calm my emotions if you keep quiet to Azula about whatever goes on. " Zuko agreed.

It was a good plan, to both parties. Zuko would get his crack at the avatar and Sheng had gained some loyalty with Azula for watching Zuko and perhaps he would earn Zuko's trust as well. And both of them would learn an aspect of fire bending that neither could get earlier. There was, obviously, a few holes in their agreement, since Sheng was obviously getting more then Zuko was, and Zuko was not going to get at the Avatar by himself anymore but even Zuko as willing to allow it if he could learn to rein in his emotions.

The extras would have to sort themselves out later.

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Eastern Air Temple- Day 7**_

They were up a few hours after sun rise and the packing commenced immediently. As Aang and Katara was getting their things ready Hye was practicing her air bending, a spurt of wind here, a spin there, a few movements that Aang had showed her. Just a little to help her further her feel for bending. It was odd when you had gone for thirteen years without any powers and then suddenly, one day, you have all these abilities and no idea what to do with them. She assumed that Aang knew that feeling every time he learned a new bending style.

Katara stopped from her packing and looked about, "Where's Sokka?"

"I think he took Toph to show here how best to head towards Ba Sing Se." Hye answered, breaking from her practice.

"Hah, like Toph needs Sokka's help." Katara smiled. She seemed to have calmed down considerably from when Hye first appeared.

Aang loaded up a few things on Appa and then jumped to the ground, "I still don't see why Toph is going to Ba Sing Se."

"Sokka says Toph's job is to draw attention away from our two groups. I doubt that Azula will just let us go that easily…even if they do think you're dead Aang." Katara reasoned.

"I guess…" Aang replied.

"Hey, are we ready yet?" Sokka's voice rang from a small, and closing, distance away.

"I guess I'll go tell Guru Pathik we're leaving." Aang leapt into the air and bounced into the temple, Momo following.

Guru Pathik had been informed of their plan early that morning and while he seemed skeptical of how the plan to split apart would work he had little idea of how to salvage the wreckage and Sokka's plan was better than nothing. He gave them all his blessing and then returned to his meditations.

"Hey, where's Toph?" Katara asked as she pulled her bag unto her shoulder.

Sokka pointed west, "She said he wanted to get a head start to Ba Sing Se so she left. She told me to tell you guys good luck."

Hye jumped up unto Appa, "I liked Toph, she was cool." It had been discovered that Hye wasn't a shy girl but she didn't speak too much, and would talk only at odd intervals at this point. Aang, having the most interaction with her, was able to talk with her normally, as long as it was about Air Bending.

Sokka pulled his gear unto his back and Aang sprang back into view, "Guru Pathik was meditating and I didn't want to bother him."

"Alright, we should get going then, Aang, Hye, good luck. I hope that Omashu was able to free itself from the Fire Nation." Sokka said as he patted Aang on the back and nodded to Hye.

"Be careful Aang.." Katara hugged Aang tightly before pushing away. The two looked at each other for a moment as if they wanted to say something to each other but both were too embarrassed to say.

"Thanks Katara…" Aang finally said, "I'll be okay. Sokka, you be careful too."

"Got it." Sokka replied.

And so Momo, Appa, Aang, and Hye flew into the air with the aid of said Air Bison. When Katara and Sokka could no longer see their waving companions the two water tribesmen began the long trek towards Ba Sing Se, in the hopes that their father was still nearby somewhere, hiding hopefully and not captured.

Katara turned and looked up at the sky as the sun was really beginning to rise. She had wanted to say something more to Aang but…she didn't know what really. Her feelings were so unclear to her. But she knew that one day she'd see him again and maybe then, just maybe, she'd understand what she had wanted to say.

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

Toran was up with the sun and preparing to continue on his way towards Ba Sing Se. He had planned on leaving the female warriors behind but they too seemed intent on heading towards the Earth Capital, in hopes that it still stood.

Suki told Toran how they were ambushed by Azula and her allies, and of their defeat and the theft of some of their uniforms. They feared that they might be trying to infiltrate the Earth Kingdom and harm it from the inside.

So when Toran made to leave Suki asked to accompany him, stating that she knew the fastest way to the city and she, if things went well, could get him to see the Earth King. This, of course, all depended on if the Earth King was still in power.

It took a bit of a fight but Toran finally relented. The boy thought that Suki should stay with her fellow warriors and help them heal from their wounds but evidently Suki trusted them enough to leave them be and cared for someone enough to risk reopening her injuries to make sure he, among others, were safe. Toran believed this person to be the Sokka she uttered when he found her.

So they left before noon came and started their trek towards the Earth Capital, the once thought impenetrable city of Ba Sing Se. It was the last strong hold against the Fire Nation and if it fell….who else could stand up to the Fire Nation's power?

Not many Toran guessed.

Still they were moving briskly through the woods and eventually came to a main road that they were going to use to head towards the city. Suki had a pass already and getting Toran in would simply be a matter of persuasion but Toran assured he could gain entrance through a water route. She had little choice but to trust in him, she would need an ally if things were bad in the city like she believed they might be.

Still, for now, everything was calm. Until, of course, the sound of soldiers could be heard. They had come up on a small trading post and it seemed a small group of fire nation soldiers, with a single man that Suki recognized as the Dai Li, were going through the post and evidently running a routine of some kind.

The two were about to get off the road and head into the forest when, behind them, they felt the presence of others. Turning around revealed two more Dai Li, obviously they were acting as guides for the Fire Nation. As they began to move towards the two warriors Toran and Suki shared a glance. Go time was the shared message.

Toran drew water out of his dual pouches, freezing the water into sharp icicles and hurling them at his attackers. The earth benders raised a wall of earth and the ice shattered, only to be recalled by Toran. The water bender pulled back the water and formed it into a single orb of water and awaited his adversaries moves.

Suki, in the mean time, was going to draw the attention of the other soldiers, using the small town as cover in which to hide and ambush individual soldiers. The sole Dai Li, knowing that the Kyoshi warriors were enemies instantly called the other fire benders, four of them, to alert. They chased after the female who dove into a building, starting a game of cat and mouse.

The two Dai Li Toran was facing removed their wall of earth and started to attack again but were cut off as a waiting Toran reacted first. The spinning ball of water sprouted a tail that Toran grabbed, he then froze the ball and added spikes to make an effective spiked ball and chain weapon. He flicked the weapon up, with the aid of his bending to move the ice, and then town with tremendous force.

The Dai Li countered with a pillar earth that shot out of the ground at an angle to intercept the ball. The two elements collided and this time Water won over Earth, with Toran applying more energy to harden the ice to a steel like quality. The giant wrecking ball smashed through the pillar and smashed the ground between the two benders who were thrown to their feet by the impact. Toran flicked the ball up again and swung the weapon around in a wide sweeping arc. The Dai Li's faces held a mix of terror as the frozen mass came towards them. At the last second the ice melted and splashed over the two earth benders. Toran stepped forward and froze the water covering the two benders, thus trapping them where they stood.

"Needless violence isn't the answer.." Toran called the excess water to his water skin and raced into the trading town to aid Suki's battle.

**Your strength grows, shape manipulation seems to be a strength you possess, and you do well combining water and ice.**

_A lot of help comes from you. And I don't lack training, I simply lacked the strength, which you have given me._

_**Only a sample, young Toran, only a sample. But do not become overconfident, others can still defeat you.**_

Suki, without the power to bend, wasn't fairing quite as well when Toran arrived. But considering she was up against more enemies made up for it. Two fire benders had been dispatched already and the remaining two, along with the Dai Li, were becoming frustrated and were attacking the houses now.

Toran pushed his way through the panicking residents of his small trading town and came up behind two fire benders as they set fire to a house Suki had just taken cover in. Toran pulled water from his waterskin, whipped it forward on the unsuspected fire soldiers and grabbed their ankles. Toran pulled them towards him, dragging them across the ground, and finally smashed the two together. Two more down for Toran without resorting to extreme violence.

"Toran, watch out!"

A shadow began to appear around Toran and when said target looked up he saw a rather large rock plummeting towards him. Diving to the side Toran felt only the impact of the rock and suffered only a minor wound to his elbows where he landed on the ground harder then he had wanted.

The Dai Li came out from behind a house, opposite of the house the two fire benders from before were assaulting. He poised himself to strike when a closed metal fan flashed out of the burning building and struck the Dai Li in the forehead squarely. Toran, as he sat up, assumed that such a blow from any metal object would render any man unconscious.

"I took three of them, how about you?" Suki joked as she came around the burning house and helped Toran to his feet.

"I got four, two Dai Li and two benders." Toran jabbed back, feeling victorious.

The two smiled for a second before a loud crack told them that the town was still in need, houses were burning, some crumbling, and the villagers were still in a basic panic. Toran rubbed the back of his head, "I should go help.."

"Yeah, I'll go see to the people." Suki continued almost instantly. She ran off while Toran turned to regard the flaming buildings in front of him.

"Oh boy…this is going to take a while…"

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A/N: I don't have much to say on this one. It took longer to write, because of the fighting scenes and even then I feel bias, since I know how it looks so I just hope that you guys can understand what is going on. I decided to make Toran's scene a little simpler, since he has some fairly complicated stuff coming up, hint hint, and my original draft turned out pretty sketchy so I did a redo of it.

So, I hope everyone enjoys this fic, and review! This is one of my most looked at fic with almost 1/3 of the hits my Digimon fic, 'Prelude to Destiny' has, and it has almost twenty chapters! So I know you guys can give a little insight to what you like or don't like shrugs

Well anyway, I hope you enjoy! Sorry it took so long and hopefully I got all the bugs out…(Massive headache).

-Arc


	7. The True Meaning of Pure Power!

**Chapter 6: The True Meaning of Pure Power**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - To Omashu - Day 7**_

"This is so cool, you get to fly around like this all the time, Aang? You're so lucky!" Hye proclaimed as she looked over Appa's right side, staring at the ground below her.

They had just passed over a lake and were now flying over a small fishing village. The tiny buildings dotted the shores of the lake as they passed by and even the trees looked small from where Aang, Hye, and Appa flew. When you looked down from way on up you realized just how small the world actually was, though from this view it also seemed far more precious, far more worthy of defending.

Hye turned around and crawled over to Aang as he steered Appa onward. The Avatar had been silent for every since he and Hye left Katara and Sokka. The child of Wind poked Aang in the head, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Aang collected his thoughts before replying, "I was just thinking about how I thought I had everything figured out."

"What do you mean? What don't you understand?" The Wind child asked, seating herself securely on Appa's back.

"I thought that I had everything figured out. I had learned almost all of the bending styles and I thought that it would just be a matter of time before I would defeat the Fire Lord…and then I could live however I wanted." Aang put down Appa's reins and leaned back, propping his left ankle on his right knee and throwing his hands behind his head.

"But now I've learned that the Avatar has another duty, one that had never been a worry until me…because I failed and didn't accept what the Guru said." Pulling out his beads, spinning them in the air above his right palm, "And now I have to find three people who could be anyone and convince them to make a new pact while somehow managing to save the world from Fire Lord Ozai."

"Mmmm, what if you don't need a new pact? What if you could just make the rune bearers your friends?" Wiggling her toes, since she had removed her footwear, Hye looked back at Aang, "What if they could help you? Wouldn't that be better?"

Aang just sighed, "I don't know. Guru Pathik said that the reason the runes were sealed away was to keep them from ever fighting each other…he said if they did fight it would tear this world apart. If the runes had been around and things were like they were right now then all of the runes would be fighting the rune of Fire and things could be a lot worse then they are now."

Not knowing how to respond Hye kept her quiet. It was something she was good at, she had always been a withdrawn child and only talked with those she felt comfortable with, a trait she had learned when her home came under the control of the Fire Nation…you never knew who was a spy in those days. But the Avatar could be trusted so she felt more at ease talking to him.

"The thing is, do the Runes want to work with me?" Aang looked to Hye, "What does Wind think?"

"Wind hasn't spoke to me in a while…I think it's because of you." Hye nodded, "Wind hates you I believe, or rather, Wind hates the Avatar. She believes that the Air Nomads would have survived if it had been around."

The statement, while not having any negative venom behind it, killed the conversation.

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

"Do you even have any idea where the Avatar is? I feel like we are walking aimlessly."

"Be quiet, I'm following the rumors of a flying bison. If we find it we will find the Avatar."

Sheng grumbled a silent withdrawal of his complaint. They had been walked until mid-day, at which time they came across a small village. There Zuko went about asking if anyone had spotted a flying bison, to which he got many obscure, and worried, looks. But a few people had remembered seeing some kind of large flying animals heading towards Omashu, or so was its old name, it had been renamed since the Fire Nation had taken it over but Sheng couldn't remember what the new name been.

So now they were turning towards what was former Omashu, chasing the Avatar on the few bits of information or, rather, the testimony of only a handful of villagers who were so disposed from the world around them that news of the Earth Kingdom's fall hadn't reached their ears. It was a scary, yet sad, thought when Sheng ran the past few ours through his head.

"Fine, but we camp at night, we'll just slow ourselves down if we march without sleep." Sheng commanded.

"And I thought you never got tired." Zuko shot back.

Sheng mumbled something under his breath. Though they were partners they were still, at the core, unsure of the other and hardly trusting. Their trust extended only to the areas of their ability, a trust in that each of them was capable of defending themselves and that the one would not slow the other down without strong reason.

None of Sheng's gripes bothered Zuko though, he was focused and it would take a lot more then one complaining soldier to deter him from his path. Zuko was going to end this feud this time, he was going to settle the score, and regain his honor.

_I'm coming for you, Avatar, we are going to settle this! _

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

_**A mistake, this plan. We cannot trust one such as him.**_

"Argh! Will you just shut up already! I didn't ask you for your opinion!" Toph roared, stomping her right foot into the ground, which shook the earth.

Earth remained silent, apparently unwilling to argue with Toph. That was just fine by her though, she was more than happy to let him keep his silence. He was always quiet when around others but when Toph was alone he would speak to her, telling her things, ranting about the deplorable position of the Earth Kingdom and how the Avatar failed so miserably. He'd go on for hours like that.

Still, his rants hadn't been completely wasted. Toph was able to find out a lot of information about the Runes from Earth. Evidently the Runes, even though they were sealed, still existed in this world and had a host. The only real difference was the extent they could influence our world. The runes could, and did, still inhabit people's body but they could only give them smaller blessings. Earth had stated that many individuals throughout the years had taken his small gift had become renown Earth Benders, geniuses even. It shocked Toph to learn that King Bumi was the last person to have the Rune before Toph did.

It explained a lot of things though, about Toph. It explained why she was born with the ability to see through the earth, to bend like she could. Her genius, her prowess, was partly a result of the Rune of Earth, one of the four Runes of Power.

_**Why worry, Toph? **_

_Hey, stop reading my thoughts!_

_**I cannot, your thoughts are clear to me as if you were speaking aloud. Do not fear the blessings I give and doubt yourself. You have only been given a mold to shape.**_

_What are you talking about?_

_**Humph, if you listened and paid attention I'd explain! I am simply a blessing from the Great Earth spirit, as such I can, and did, only give you a blessing. This blessing opened many doors for you but, in the end, it was you who stepped through and took those blessings and shaped the mold. You took my power and shaped it, crafted it, and refined it. The power may be my own, but the skill, the mastery, that is yours and yours alone. I am simply power, but you are the crafter.**_

Toph stopped her march and mused to herself the validity of Earth's words. It was true that Toph had been the one to teach herself, to train herself. She was the one that believed that she could do anything a normal person could do, no, better then a normal person. Even when her family believed she was fragile, weak, and helpless, she knew it was not so and pushed herself to be more. She had crafted herself, her power, and made someone she was proud of. Toph, the world's best Earth Bender!

With a nod and a new beat added to her walk Toph started on the trail once more, towards Ba Sing Se. She slowed her footsteps though when she felt the presence of two individuals approaching from afar, walking straight towards her. Not feeling threatened, but simply being cautious, Toph continued her walk but kept her senses open.

She was in a clear opening now. A place of rock and dirt, with little trees and grass. An excellent place should a fight break out. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but with the Fire Nation taking over the Earth Kingdom…

…_**I sense…a familiar…**_

_What?_

"You! You're with the Avatar!"

Toph knew that voice, it was the voice of Prince Zuko. Knowing full well the events that had transpired under the palace of Ba Sing Se Toph took a defensive position, noticing the other pair of footsteps moving to her backside.

_**I feel him…**_

_Who?_

…_**.FIRE!!!**_

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

_**Caution, Sheng! I sense the Earth Rune is within that girl, beware her, she shall be no easy adversary.**_

_Great…_

_**This is ill fated. I did not think you would have to face another of the Elements of Power so soon…and I feel this one is a trained warrior of the Earth. Be on your guard.**_

"Where is the Avatar?!" Zuko demanded of the girl.

"Like I'd tell you! Hurgh!" Toph slid her foot forward coupled with a forward punch, ripping the ground in a straight path towards Zuko.

The Fire Prince side-stepped and launched a barrage of fireballs as he slowly began to close the gap between the two fighters. But the earth bender did not make it easy, for every step was fraught with peril as Toph raised earth and launched it forward, cracked the ground where he walked, and easily dodged the balls of flames that approaching.

_I don't understand, her eyes tell me she's blind, yet she dodges everything!_

_**Fool. Earth has given her sight, she can feel the heat touching the ground and can dodge accordingly. She is advanced indeed, to have gained such ability. You are not ready…you are not fit to wield my greater powers…you cannot win.**_

"I have to try!" Sheng charged forward, hoping that her battle with Zuko would divert her gaze from him long enough to attack. Pulling his hands back to his right side, the back of his left hand pressing against the palm of his right, Sheng launched the same finishing attack he had used on the Dai Li.

The jet of fire streamed forward but ultimately failed as the earth bender noticed the attack at the last minute and raised herself up high into the air on a pillar of earth. At the top she took a horse stance and began cutting the bottom sections of the stone pillar and launching them at Zuko and Sheng. The sliding circular disks skid across the ground with devastating speed, and in increasing numbers as the earth bender didn't just shoot them, she would stop them, turn them, and re use them again. By the time the pillar was gone a total of ten stone rings were sliding about on collisions courses with the fire benders.

_**Truly amazing, to think that Earth would find such a young prodigy…truly, the Great Spirits have blessed him.**_

_Shut up and help me do something about this attack, darn it!_

"Arrgh!"

Sheng turned to watch as Zuko unleashed a powerful downward kick that severed one of the stone disks, the flames burning through the hardened earth. But the attack cost him, several seconds that he lost in his attack kept him from dodging the next and the blow knocked the wind out of him and, eventually, made him unconscious.

Sheng braced himself for the attack to come. It didn't. Instead the stone rings began to circle around him and slowly close in on his position. He was trapped, each of the rings were too long for him to jump over them and with all of them close together he couldn't avoid them all if he could. And he lacked the power to destroy them all with one attack. Fire had been right, he had lost.

_No…no! I still haven't returned to my family, my father, my mother, sister…I can't lose here…_

"I can't lose here…" Sheng's hands balled into fists, balled so tight that his finger nails pierced his skin. "I WON'T LOST HERE!"

Sheng began to glow.

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7**_

It happened all at once. The terrible surge, a horrible heat, and then the utter annihilation of her stone discs. That wasn't possible though, she was easily over a dozen yards away and this was a clearing without grass or trees, there shouldn't be anything to burn but dirt!

But she felt it, she felt it on her skin even. A flame so hot that the ground where her discs had been screamed out as the top layers turned to ash, destroyed but turned to something that could give life once more.

_Earth…_

_**He has entered the trance…he is now many times more powerful then before. A King of Flames, so to speak. No training, no forms, just utter and complete control, just a total domination of fire bending. In this trance he is a walking Rune…Pure Power.**_

Toph opened her mind to speak but reflexes slugged her to the ground as a tiny line of heat passed over her. She heard the crack and the snap of lightning pass over her back, she felt it impact a large boulder…and clearly felt the tiny hole in the rock. The lightning had not destroyed the rock, it had passed through it so completely that only a tiny hole was left as evidence. She would die if struck by such a weapon. Fear took her, and that fear drowned her.

She began to glow.

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Near Omashu - Day 8**_

"Ah…oww."

Hye, who had been practicing a few exercises that Aang had assigned her suddenly collapsed to the ground, the two had settled down for the night. The Avatar looked to his fallen companion and jumped over the fire and bounded to the girl.

"Hye, what's wrong?"

Gripping her head she kept hearing this scream, a terrible moan from the wind. As if it were being harmed, or forced to witness something horrible. She could feel Wind trying to comfort her, to block out the feeling, to no avail.

"I feel…like something horrible has happened. The wind is carrying a burden, and its moaning."

Aang sat down next to his 'student' and gave a perplexed look, "The wind is carrying? What do you mean?"

Struggling to concentrate due to the strain she took several moments to gather herself, "It's like…something happened somewhere and the wind has been carrying it around, the memory of it. I think its because I have the Rune that I feel this. Aang…something terrible has happened."

Not sure at all what to do Aang did what he was best at; put on a smile and attempt to cheer up a friend in need. "Hey, don't worry Hye. I'm sure whatever it is will get better with time. How about we stop for today and you just focus on clearing your head?"

"Yeah…" Hye nodded and smiled, "Yeah, Aang, you're right. Time heals all wounds, right?"

"Right!"

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 8**_

Having helped the village Toran and Suki left very early the next morning, before the sun had even risen. The outposts had reported smoke in the distance, further south then Toran wanted to head but he feared that the Fire Nation had attacked again, so he headed on nonetheless. They had been traveling for a few hours when they came across an odd sight.

"What is this…" Suki stepped forward and knelt down, picking up what appeared to be --

"Ash…" Toran ran ahead, expecting to see a raging fire or at least the remnants of it. What he did see sent him skidding to a stop. "…By the Moon Spirit…"

Suki came up behind him and stood in the same stupefied awe that Toran himself stood in. Before them the ground lay completely blanketed in ash, dark and fresh. It covered the ground as if the entire area had been razed. But that was not all. Ridged spikes of earth dotted the ashy field, jutting up from the ground in several place. Shattered pillars, melted rock, broken earth, and even the trees so far from the center of this clearing were blackened, dead.

"Did an army pass through here? Was there a battle?" Suki stated more then asked.

"No…if there was a battle than where are the bodies? We would have known if there were armies on the move.."

Suki stepped forward and knelt again to inspect a large rock, that rose from the ground as if it were bended. It was melted and made lop-sided by whatever flame melted it. But what flame could do that? Who could produce a flame strong enough to melt rock? She thought that the Fire Princess might…but could she do all this? Alone?

Toran shuddered at the thought of a single bender being capable of doing this. He turned to his senses, to speak to Water, but found that the Rune was silent and also searching. Though he noticed that it searched with more aim, as if looking for an end to a lead.

_Water?_

_**I sense them… a battle took place here, between two Runes.**_

…_Two people? TWO people did THIS?_

_**Yes. I sense them, Fire and Earth. Be on your guard.**_

"Oh no…"

Toran turned to Suki who had moved further into the area. "What is it?"

"…To.." Suki stepped forward and, just as suddenly, broke into a run. "Toph!"

_Toph?_ Toran began to chase after her but noticed another person from the corner of his eye. No, two. One was sleeping, apparently, while the other was trying to wake him. The awake one was yelling, obviously making commands that became easier to discern as Toran approached.

"Wake up! What happened here? Wake up and tell me!" He shook the sleeping boy, not much younger then himself.

"Hey, hey! You there, what happened here!"

Toran wasn't sure what it was that put the man on edge. Perhaps it was his clothing, the outfit of a water tribesman. But it soon became apparent why had become so defensive, he was Fire Nation. Toran realized it as soon as the man created a wall of fire in front of himself. Expecting an attack the Water bearer took a defensive posture.

No attack came.

Toran looked over his shoulder to Suki, she had reached the girl named Toph and was apparently quickly working to mend her wounds. His gaze stayed with Suki but strayed towards the sky when he felt the familiar prick of water droplets on his head.

"Rain?" Holding out his hands he felt the rain become heavy, it doused the wall of fire and revealed that the two fire benders were gone, vanished. Toran moved his wet hair out of his face and looked back at Suki, then again to the rain.

"…What happened here…?"

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**A/N:** So, I'm sorry for the drop off the world bit. My family had a vacation and I forgot to mention it in my last Author's Note. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it!

So, got some pretty cool stuff in this chapter. I've been itching to show a little of the Runes for a while now and I get to show a little of what Runes of Power means, though I can't give it all away or that wouldn't be any fun, now would it? Haha.

Anyway, this is still a slightly rough draft, I wanted to get this up so you guys could read it and know I'm not dropping this story. Expect most of the typos that I may have missed to be fixed up soon. The next update should be along in a week or two, I have to update another story so this gets put on hold for a bit. Hopefully you'll bear with me.

So read and review please! I'd like to know what everyone thinks and besides, reviews make me a lot more motivated to continue the story!

-Arc


	8. Dreaming of Memories

**Chapter 7: Dreaming of Memories**

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character _

_**Legend**_

_Italics shows character thoughts_

**Word shows Date, time, and location**

_**-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing**_

Enjoy, and Please Review!

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_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day ??**_

_The world had been divided into four, or so they wished it to be. But mankind was the kind of species that simply didn't like to be controlled and it was for that reason that there would always be those that stood as outcasts. Vagabonds, bandits, thieves, and revolutionaries._

_Of course they wouldn't trust him and the others, they were…unnatural. The first, and most powerful, of their kind. Everyone one of them had once been a trusted follower, a trusted citizen, a trusted comrade. But fear could make the mightiest of men falter._

_All of his soldiers had gone to the other side. But to blame them would be selfish, for they had more than enough reason to change sides. The greatest fear of an soldier was not death, rather, it was to become obsolete and have someone younger, stronger, and more capable take his place. _

_He looked over his shoulder and saw his disciples, the first to be blessed with the Earth's Power by the Rune he himself carried. Of course they would fear them! They feared that their livelihood was at stake, that the new generation of bending warriors would take over their lives._

_Looking at them all, one hundred loyal earth benders….but against five thousand? He looked away, pushing away the faces, they were all so young and only those born of the same generation as the Rune Bearer and beyond could be given the blessing to bend…it was the only chafing rule put on each Bearer._

"_Lord Yi Rong, what are your orders sir?"_

_Yes, Lord, that was his title, Lord Yi Rong Tong, the first Earth King. He looked down at himself, a King! And at the age of twenty-nine, oh how young he seemed even to himself at this moment! They wanted his command, but what command could he give? The order to slaughter his own people?_

_Yi Rong closed his eyes and let the presence of Earth flow through him. He felt the wind brushing against the grass and the ground, lifting dust into the air. He could feel the rocks beneath his bare feet, the trees whose roots pierced the ground to draw life from the Earth's ever bountiful supply of life. Earth was a life giver, a defender of precious things, providing shelter against the rain, allowing food to grow to feed its people._

_A Shield most grand!_

"_Tell everyone to pull back to the center of the village. I will deal with them myself."_

_A gaping gasp came up from the dozens of followers as they stared at the back of their leader, garbed in the traditional robes of an Earth King, the robes that would be carried on for generations. The eldest bender opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by raised fist. Their King, with his back to them, would hear no argument._

_They had no choice but to obey. _

_He looked forward, towards their banners and their flags. They would be on him soon, five thousand strong, and attempt to take away this new power. He could hear their battle shouts, their clatter of shields and swords, the cry of metal, it the noise of war. But Yi Rong would not allow it, he had worked so hard, they had worked so hard, to build this Kingdom! Small as it was, with only a few villages, it could one day be a great power._

_But it would need a shield, something to protect it should the Earth Rune fail them. Something to protect them against the other runes, the other nations. A shield to protect against all that opposed this great fledging nation of Earth's chosen!_

_He began to glow…_

_He spread his feet out wide, digging his feet into the ground. His hands were thrust down, palms towards the ground with the fingers outstretched and pointed towards the other hand. His knees were bent, his shoulders straight, and his face always staring forward._

_He turned his hands and cut the air with his palms…and the future of the Earth Kingdom was forever changed._

_An earthquake shook the ground, the likes of which this world would never see again. The earth cracked in front of the Earth King, spread, and stretched to the left and right, both curving widely. The Earth Bearer's entire body shook, his muscles tensed, and his eyes glowed unflinchingly, never blinking. _

_The villagers and earth bending disciples watched in utter horror as they watched what appeared to be a demon rising from the core of the earth. The cracking earth met again, making a complete circle, but the show was not yet done. The Earth King cut the air with his palms again, returning his hands to their original position._

_As the invading army came into view and began their charge forward another crack in the earth, several yards behind the Earth King, began to snake its way, in the same circle formation its brother had made moments ago._

_Again the circle was met, and an outline was made. The army came forward and the Rune Bearer of Earth turned his palms up and thrust them into the sky…and he rose, up on a wall of rock. The wall rose, higher, higher, and higher still, the area between the two newly created lines climbed into the sky._

_Slowly the tremor stopped, the stone slowed in its rise, and those on both sides of the wall watched awe at its…power. It was not fancy, not majestic, it was raised earth, pure and simple. Yet it stood, meters thick and hundreds of feet high._

_Coming out of the trance the Earth King walked to the edge of the wall and looked down at the army that now stood dumbfounded before the sheer rock before them. Using a smaller show of bending the Earth King lowered himself to the ground and faced the invaders._

"_I know why you are here, and you have every reason to want to go back to the ways of old. Yet," Yi Rong inhaled and continued in a voice fitting of a King, "I am still its King, still obligated to protect those people who serve under me. And this, " He pointed to the rock behind him, "shall forever stand as a testament. Let it be none, here, today! That as long as this wall stands….Ba Sing Se, no, the Earth Kingdom, shall never fall!"_

_------_

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 8**_

"Toph, Toph!"

_Uh…five more minutes._

"TOPH!"

Jerking to an upright sitting position the earth bender came back to reality. The first thing she noticed was the presence of two people around her, one kneeling at her side, the other laying down a small distance away. The second thing she noticed was the area around them…ravaged was putting it lightly.

"Toph, it's me Suki. I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Suki?" Toph muttered, still feeling detached from reality.

"Yeah, me and Toran over there found you. Toph you were wounded terribly and for the past few hours you were having some kind of dream, though it didn't appear too violent I got concerned so I woke you."

"Toran?"

Suki looked over her shoulder to the sleeping water bender, "Yes, he found me to the north west, it's a long story. He's the one that healed your wounds…or he tried, I don't think you're going to be moving like normal for a while. He's sleeping now, I don't think he was skilled in healing and I think all the effort he put into healing you really drained him."

Toph nodded and laid herself back down. Suki said she was going to get some more fire wood and water, and sprinted off to do so moments later. Comfortably on her back the Earth Bearer closed her eyes and reached into herself to find the Earth.

_**I am sorry Toph, I must sleep.**_

_What happened?_

_**Later, child. We survived a battle against the rages of Fire…we both need rest.**_

…_Did we lose?_

…_**Yes, Toph, we did. But…so did they. It is a long story, sleep now, we shall need our strength…**_

And so, she slept.

----------

_**Location: Fire Nation - Day ??**_

_A glorious day, a magnificent anniversary. Today was the one year anniversary of the crowning of the first Fire Lord, Fire Lord Li Sun. At the capital city the festivities were in full swing, food, parades, music, all to the foundation of the Fire Nation._

_The reigning Fire Lord Sun stood with crossed arms and knowing approval. Though his reign was firm, it was also full of the honor that the Fire Nation would be renowned for in years to come. He stood in an open clearing of land that would be the site of construction for the Royal Palace._

_It was night, and the stars twinkled brilliantly in the night sky, the majesty of other suns lighting the sky in the absence of the closer Sun Spirit as it warmed the other side of the world. As the Fire Lord he did not permit himself to partake in the occasion. No, he knew that he had to keep a level of isolation between him and the common people. For he wanted all Fire Lord's to put duty and honor above all else, and damn those that would tarnish the name of the Fire Nation!_

_Still, a remarkable night it was, with a rather large star in view this day. Li looked at the large star and in the pit of his stomach, where spiritually the Rune of Fire resided, he learned that it was no star. _

_A comet._

_Somehow, those around him seemed to notice his intense gaze. The comet was now the size of a rather massive boulder, or so it appeared from that distance. But it was growing, and growing fast. Everyone looked to their Fire Lord for direction. Of course they would, it was only natural._

"_My Lord, that star…"_

"_It would appear to be a comet coming at just this location."_

_The soldier seemed to flinch at the thought of a massive comet destroying their growing capital. "We must evacuate my Lord!"_

"_Evacuate? Retreat? Nonsense, we are children of Fire! We meet power with power, honor with honor, and dishonor with righteous justice!"_

"_But, my!"_

"_Silence!" Li roared. "All of you stand back, and witness. We are the Fire Nation, we never retreat, never falter. We are as strong as rages Fires, and Fire consumes all!" Li Sun balled his hands into fists and took a forward stance before drawing into the Rune in his body, entering the Runic Trance._

_Behind the Fire Lord the ground began to crackle and bubble up, as if being shoved up by some unstable force. Up, up, into the sky the ground continued to rise, a massive area of ground pushed up. In the sides of this rock cracks released molten lava, and it trailed down for only a second before being pushed back into the volcano by some unseen force._

_But all knew what force commanded the lava….the Rune of Fire._

_Changing his position to a horse stance, for better stability, the Fire Lord unleashed a mighty roar, erupting the Volcano at the same time. The massive stream of lava rocketed into the air and began to gather into an orb shape in the air._

_All those around watched in utter horror at the sight before them. Never before had such strength been seen in this world. A volcano brought up and then used like this, no one thought it possible even for the mighty Rune of Fire!_

"_THIS IS THE WILL OF FIRE!! THIS IS HOW WE SHALL LIVE OUR LIVES! NO FEAR, NO WEAKNESS, ONLY HONOR AND COURAGE!"_

_Li Sun jumped forward with a spin, the lava spinning with him, he landed on one foot spinning still, and planting his other foot and reached back and up over his head with his hands. And as if he were carrying a massive boulder the Fire Lord slung his hands forward over his head, launching the compacted lava into the atmosphere to meet the great comet._

_What occurred was nothing else than a great show of lights. The lava melted all of the rock almost instantly, save one piece which was thrown off course by the sheer magnitude of Rune power put into the liquid ball. The lava ball and the melted rock fell into the ocean, hardened, and would, eventually, become an island, an island that would one day hold a Temple as a reminder of this day._

_The very same temple that Avatar Aang would visit to seek a vision from Avatar Roku._

_--------_

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 8**_

"Uh…"

_**You wake, though you shall not move well for a time.**_

_Fire?_

_**Aye, we suffered a many great blow from Earth. Don't feel ashamed for we fought a mighty battle.**_

_Dream…man…Li._

_**Ah. Just as the Avatar remembers all the memories, skills, and powers of its previous forms when entering his Avatar State, so do you remember past bearers when you enter the Runic Trance.**_

Sheng wanted to continue but his strength was near zero and, more interestingly, something had caught his eye. A glint, nothing more. It was probably a wet rock reflecting some light but somehow he felt compelled to move towards it. So he crawled.

He crawled along the ground, completely devoid of the fact that another body lay sleeping. The wind had picked up and, though it was little more than a breeze, it seemed to chill him to the bones. He crawled and pulled the rock towards him, oval in shape, towards his stomach.

_It's warm._

Wrapping his body around the large football , almost twice its size, object. Against the wind the heat resonating from the rock helped to bring him some relief…and there was still that feeling of need, that desire to have this strange thing near him. Sheng slept.

_**Ho ho….interesting.**_

**---------**

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 8**_

It had been an hour since Suki woke him to begin his shift of looking after Toph. They had been tending to her wounds all day long and soon night would be on them. Toran, having exhausted himself from healing Toph's wounds to the best of his novice healing ability, had slept much of the day away. So he was rightfully awarded the night shift.

So he sat, as the sun was falling on the eight day since…Water came into his life. It had been, for some reason, very quiet over the past few days. It was to be expected though, it was Water! The element that taught one to flow with the stream, to go with the events instead of fighting against them. It seemed to only speak when something of importance was needed.

Still, he felt like having a chat with his Runic Spirit and delved into himself to have a little one-on-one.

_Water?_

_**Yes, Child?**_

_Any insight into this situation?_

_**As I said before, Fire and Earth. A duel between rune bearers. Fire has retreated, but Earth…**_

…_.You mean…the girl?_

_**Yes, the Rune Bearer of the Earth. I wouldn't fear her, I do not sense any aggression from the Earth Rune, and besides, she is in not state to challenge us.**_

Toran looked over at the sleeping blind girl called Toph, as Suki had said to be her name. She was just a kid! She couldn't be any older than just twelve or thirteen years of age, but she was a Rune Bearer? What kind of people did the Runes choose? Were their qualifications? Standards?

_**Haha. We are very insightful spirits, Toran, we can simply look into an individual and see potential, or lack thereof. You will see it too, one day, and when that day comes you will help to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe and further strengthen the Northern Tribe.**_

Toran sighed, still feeling vastly overwhelmed with the task to somehow hinder the Fire Nation. And with all the Fire Nation presence around he wondered if Ba Sing Se itself was under siege….or worse. Looking up to the sky above, the lowering sun and the rising moon, he laughed at the irony.

_Even the Sun and Moon via for control of the sky… but only one can rule at a time._

_**Yes…and when the two collide, one loses everything.**_

_What?_

Water didn't answer.

----------

_**Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 9**_

SPLASH!!!

"AAHH!"

Sheng's entire body began to shiver as the water that had been dumped on him began to find its way through his clothing and to his skin. Looking up Sheng found a very agitated Prince Zuko staring down at him, with another bucket of water in hand should it be needed.

"Explanations are in order." Zuko stated.

"For what?"

Zuko stared at Sheng incredulously. _Oh that,_ Sheng thought. Sitting himself up he looked down at his wet clothes and brushes aside several pieces of what looked to be…egg shells? Sheng looked up at Zuko merely moved to dump the other bucket on him.

Sheng braced for the splash. Instead he felt a weight land on his head, something craw at his forehead, and something that gave a roar-like yawn.

Eyebrow twitching Zuko suddenly slung the bucket unto Sheng before leaping away and into a fighting stance. The water flushed the thing off Sheng's head and into his lap.

_What…the?_

_**Ho,ho. Interesting, indeed.**_

Scales, tail, wings, horns, and claws. Sheng found his own eyebrows twitching as the tiny reptile looked up at Sheng with big blue eyes, yawn, and begin to claw at Sheng's stomach before curling up in his lap with the intent to sleep.

"..What…"Zuko started.

Sheng looked dumbfounded at Zuko, completely confused and not having the slightest idea of what slept in his lap. He turned to Fire for an answer the all knowing spirit chuckled and gave the answer the same time as Zuko did.

**Dragon.**

"DRAGON!"

Sheng looked down at the sleeping creature as it open its eyes and looked up at him, like a newborn puppy would to its new owner. It even wagged its tail a little. The shock of it all allowed Sheng to utter one word.

"….EH?!"

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**A/N: ** Hey, everyone! Sorry for the wait, but I had a lot of trouble with this chapter. I'm really happy with the way things turned out in the 'dream' sequences but they were hard to do. I had about three versions for each and I chose this because it was interesting but not so tedious with detail that it might bore some. The last two scenes I don't much like, but I think it's because its not as cool as the previous scenes, haha. Though I have to say, I'm stoked about Sheng's new companion. You'll get more about that little critter soon!

But, this chapter got me thinking that I might, MIGHT, after this story is done, do a prequel to this story. Cause the Avatar universe is very blank and fairly easy to write about and I thought it might actually be really, really, cool to write about the first bearers and all the events that lead up to the creation of the Avatar. Any opinions on that idea?

Anyway, this chapter isn't as intense as the last one, but it is to be expected. Every build up of tension must have a release. The next chapter will cover what the rest of the characters have been doing while Zuko,Sheng, Suki, Toph, and Toran were resting up (A whole day passed in this chapter).

At this point in the story I'm really hoping for reviews on the story, so I can get some opinions! So send them in and I hope you continue to read and enjoy!

-Arc

PS: Here is the meanings behind the names I chose for the first Heroes (Minus their family names).

Yi(Resolute)Rong(Glorious)Tong

Li(Strength)Sun


End file.
